Parkwood Entertainment

Parkwood Entertainment is an American management, production, entertainment company and record label founded by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé in 2008. The company began as a production unit for films and videos in 2008. It has offices located in New York City and Los Angeles, complete with recording studios, film editing suites, and a vault/archive.^[1] Its involvements include products for music production, motion pictures and television specials related to Beyoncé. Its' debut projects were co-executive-produced films Cadillac Records and Obsessed.

Parkwood Entertainment

Company type	Private
Industry	Music, Film, Entertainment
Founded	2008; 16 years ago (2008)
Founder	Beyoncé
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California
Key people	Beyoncé (chairwoman & CEO)
Products	Visual albums, films, television specials
Services	Management, video production
Subsidiaries	Ivy Park Parkwood Entertainment Parkwood Topshop Athletic Ltd. Parkwood Pictures Parkwood Management Parkwood Ventures, Inc. Parkwood Touring, Inc.
Website	beyonce.com

History

Parkwood Productions was founded in 2008 as a production unit for videos and films by American singer, actress, producer, and director Beyoncé. The company expanded over the next two years, evolving into umbrella company Parkwood Entertainment (as it is now known) in 2010. Parkwood is named after a street in Houston, Texas where Beyoncé once lived.^[2] Parkwood Entertainment's first production was the musical biopic Cadillac Records (2008), in which Beyoncé starred and co-produced.^[3] In 2009, she starred in and executive produced the thriller Obsessed. During a private screening held at New York's School of Visual Arts Theatre following the release of her fifth self-titled studio album, Beyoncé briefly discussed her decision to found Parkwood Entertainment in front of her fans and the press, saying:

"I started my own company when I decided to manage myself. It was important that I didn't go to some big management company, I felt like I wanted to follow the footsteps of Madonna and be a powerhouse and have my own empire, and show other women when you get to this point in your career you don't have to go sign with someone else and share your money and your success—you do it yourself."^[4]

In December 2013, Parkwood Entertainment released Beyoncé's fifth self-titled visual album. The surprising release caused "hilarious, honest and hysterical" reaction among Beyoncé's fans,^[5] and "shock" among other musicians.^[6] According to data provided by Twitter, the release generated over 1.2 million tweets in 12 hours.^[6] Peter Robinson of The Guardian hailed the shock release as "Beyoncégeddon", describing it as a "major triumph ... a masterclass in both exerting and relinquishing control."^[7] Beyoncé was released digitally to the iTunes Store without prior announcement or promotion. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, earning Beyoncé her fifth consecutive number-one album in the country. The record sold 617,000 copies in the US, and 828,773 copies worldwide in its first three days of availability, becoming the fastest-selling album in the history of the iTunes Store at the time.^[8] It was reissued in November 2014 as part of a platinum edition, along with an extended play of new songs. It received acclaim from critics, who praised its production, exploration of sexuality, and Beyoncé's vocals. As of November 2016, Beyoncé has sold 8 million copies worldwide and has spawned the singles "XO", "Drunk in Love", "Partition" and "Pretty Hurts.^[9]

In October 2014, Beyoncé with Parkwood Entertainment formed a large collaboration with Topshop, creating the subsidiary Parkwood Topshop Athletic Ltd, to produce an athletic, streetwear brand. The company and collaboration is a 50/50 split, with both parent companies owning half of this new division. Beyoncé commented on the collaboration stating "I could not think of a better partner as I continue to grow the Parkwood business".^[10] In November 2018, Parkwood Entertainment confirmed that the company had acquired total ownership of the Ivy Park brand from co-founder Sir Philip Green following allegations of sexual harassment and racial abuse.^[11]

In 2015, Parkwood expanded into managing the careers of upcoming artists and signed Chloe x Halle, Sophie Beem and Ingrid.^[12][13][14]

In 2016, Steve Pamon, from JP Morgan Chase took office as the COO and President of the company.^[15] Within that same year, Parkwood entertainment released Beyoncé's critically acclaimed sixth studio album Lemonade. The album was accompanied by the release of a 60-minute film of the same name, which premiered on HBO on April 23, 2016.^[16]

Parkwood Entertainment has been listed twice by Fast Company as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Music (2015 and 2017).^[17]

Artists

Current artists

• Beyoncé
  • The Carters
• Chloe x Halle
  • Chlöe
  • Halle

Former artists

• Ingrid Burley
• Sophie Beem

Discography

Beyoncé

• 4 (2011)
• Beyoncé (2013)
• Lemonade (2016)
• Homecoming: The Live Album (2019)
• The Lion King: The Gift (2019)
• Renaissance (2022)
• Cowboy Carter (2024)

Chloe x Halle

• Sugar Symphony (2016)^[18]
• The Two of Us (2017)
• The Kids Are Alright (2018)^[19]
• Ungodly Hour (2020)

The Carters

• Everything Is Love (2018)

Chlöe

• In Pieces (2023)
• Trouble in Paradise (2024)

Sophie Beem

• Sophie Beem (2016)^[20]

Ingrid Burley

• Trill Feels (2016)

Filmography

Motion pictures

• Cadillac Records [with Sony Music Film] (2008)
• Obsessed [with Rainforest Films] (2009)
• Black Is King [with Walt Disney Pictures] (2020)^[21]
• Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé (2023)

Television specials and video releases

• I Am... World Tour (2010)^[22]
• Beyoncé: Year of 4 (2011)^[23]
• Live at Roseland: Elements of 4 (2011)^[24]
• Life Is But a Dream (2013)
• Live in Atlantic City (2013)
• Beyoncé: X10 (2014)
• Lemonade (2016)
• Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé (2019)
• Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift (2019)

Miscellaneous

• Beyoncé 2024 NFL Halftime Show (2024)^[25]

References

1. "Beyonce's Management Company Parkwood Is Undergoing an Executive Overhaul". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
2. "Beyoncé". Music World Entertainment. Archived from the original on March 31, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
3. Buchanan, Jason. "Cadillac Records (2008)". AllMovie. AllRovi. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
4. Gensler, Andy (December 22, 2013). "Beyonce on Self-Management, Following Madonna's Footsteps, Developing Other Artists". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
5. Cills, Hazel (December 13, 2013). "'Beyonce' Made the Internet Explode Today". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
6. Lipshutz, Jason (December 13, 2013). "Beyonce's Surprise Album: 20 Tweets From Mind-Blown Musicians". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
7. Robinson, Peter (January 1, 2014). "Beyoncé has reinvented how to release an album. Over to you, Adele". The Guardian. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
8. Loughrey, Clarisse (November 26, 2015). "Adele's new album 25 is No.1 on iTunes in almost every country in the world". Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-25. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
9. "According to Nielsen SoundScan, A Breakdown of Beyonce's US & Worldwide Album Sales". The Huffington Post. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
10. Milligan, Lauren (October 27, 2014). "CONFIRMED: Beyoncé And Topshop Launch Activewear". Vogue. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
11. "Beyoncé cuts ties with Sir Philip Green and buys out Ivy Park share". The Guardian. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
12. Times, Music (2015-05-02). "Beyonce's Parkwood Entertainment Offers 3 Teen Girls Management Contracts". Music Times. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
13. "Beyoncé's management company offers 3 teens contracts". NY Daily News. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
14. "Meet Ingrid, The Rapper Signed to Beyoncé's Label". The FADER. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
15. "Beyonce's Management Company Parkwood Is Undergoing an Executive Overhaul". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
16. "Beyoncé Releases New Album Lemonade Featuring Kendrick Lamar, Jack White, the Weeknd, James Blake". Pitchfork. April 23, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
17. "The World's Top 10 Most Innovative Companies of 2015 in Music". Fast Company. Retrieved 2015-02-09.
18. "Beyonce's Singing Sister Duo Chloe x Halle Release Gorgeous 'Sugar Symphony' EP: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
19. Braca, Nina (February 21, 2018). "Chloe x Halle Announce Debut Album 'The Kids Are Alright,' Reveal Cover Art: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
20. "Sophie Beem – EP by Sophie Beem on Apple Music". iTunes. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
21. Moreau, Jordan (July 19, 2020). "Beyoncé Releases Trailer for 'Black Is King' Visual Album on Disney Plus (Watch)". Variety. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
22. "Music World/Columbia Records Releasing Beyonce's I AM ... WORLD TOUR, the New Full-Length DVD Concert Film Experience Produced, Directed & Edited by Beyonce for Her Own Parkwood Pictures" (Press release). New York: PR Newswire. November 16, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
23. Seidman, Robert (June 28, 2011). "MTV & BET to Simulcast "Beyonce: Year of 4" Special Thursday, June 30 at 7p" (Press release). TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
24. "DVD Credits: Live at Roseland: Elements of 4". Beyonceonline.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2013. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
25. McClay, Caché. "Beyoncé will perform halftime during NFL Christmas Day Game: Here's what to know". USA Today. Retrieved 2024-12-25.