Sweet Dreams (Beyoncé song)
2009 single by Beyoncé / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Sweet Dreams" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé from her third studio album I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). Originally titled "Beautiful Nightmare", it leaked online in March 2008. The song was written and produced by Beyoncé, James Scheffer, Wayne Wilkins, and Rico Love. Columbia Records released "Sweet Dreams" as the album's sixth single, to mainstream radio and rhythmic contemporary radio playlists in the United States on June 2, 2009, and elsewhere on July 13. It is an electropop song whose instrumentation includes synthesizers, a keyboard, and snare drums. Beyoncé employs slinky vocals to sing the lyrics, which describe a romantic relationship that the female protagonist believes could be a dream.
"Sweet Dreams" | ||||
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Single by Beyoncé | ||||
from the album I Am... Sasha Fierce | ||||
Released | June 2, 2009 (2009-06-02) | |||
Recorded | March 2008 | |||
Studio | South Beat Studios (Miami Beach, Florida) | |||
Genre | Electropop | |||
Length | 3:28 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Beyoncé singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Sweet Dreams" on YouTube | ||||
Music critics praised the beats, synthpop sound and Beyoncé's vocals in "Sweet Dreams". Some critics noted that the sliding bassline gave the song a dark quality and resembles the one used in some of Michael Jackson's songs on Thriller (1982). "Sweet Dreams" gained popularity for its electronic style, which contrasts her earlier R&B, urban, and funk-tinged releases. The song was nominated for the Viewers Choice Award at the 2010 BET Awards. "Sweet Dreams" peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Sweet Dreams" topped the charts in New Zealand, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in many countries, including Australia, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom. "Sweet Dreams" was certified platinum in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
The song's accompanying music video was directed by Adria Petty, and was filmed in Brooklyn, New York. It mainly uses a green screen and computer-generated effects, making the clip minimal and performance-based. The video sees Beyoncé wearing a golden robot suit designed by French fashion designer Thierry Mugler. Critics described it as high-fashion and noted that she reprised some of the choreography from her 2008 video for "Single Ladies". Beyoncé promoted the song by performing it live at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards and occasionally during the I Am... World Tour (2009–10). "Sweet Dreams" was recognized as one of the most performed songs of 2009 at the 27th American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Pop Music Awards. The song was used in a Crystal Geyser Water Japanese advertisement that featured Beyoncé.