History of Beyoncé in Timeline
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is a highly influential American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. Celebrated for her powerful vocals, innovative artistry, and captivating live shows, she's a major cultural figure of the 21st century. Beyoncé is recognized as one of the greatest entertainers and most impactful artists, shaping popular music and inspiring audiences globally.
September 4, 1981: Beyoncé's Birth
On September 4, 1981, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter was born. She later became an acclaimed American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman.
1981: Original Broadway musical of Dreamgirls
In 1981, the original Broadway musical of Dreamgirls debuted. Beyoncé would later star in its cinematic adaptation in 2006.
1990: Meeting LaTavia Roberson
In 1990, Beyoncé met singer LaTavia Roberson during an audition for an all-girl entertainment group, marking the beginning of her journey in the music industry.
1990: Enrollment in Parker Elementary School
In 1990, at the age of nine, Beyoncé enrolled in Parker Elementary School, a music magnet school in Houston, where she performed with the school's choir, furthering her musical education.
1993: Joining Star Search and LeToya Luckett Joins Girl's Tyme
In 1993, Girl's Tyme, including Beyoncé, entered Star Search, a national talent show, but lost. Also in 1993, LeToya Luckett joined the group.
1995: Mathew Knowles Becomes Manager
In 1995, Mathew Knowles left his job to manage Girl's Tyme, which impacted the Knowles family's finances.
1997: Adoption of Destiny's Child Name and Release of "Killing Time"
In 1997, the group adopted the name Destiny's Child and released their major-label debut song, "Killing Time", which appeared on the soundtrack for the film Men in Black.
1998: Release of Destiny's Child Debut Album
In 1998, Destiny's Child released their debut album, Destiny's Child, which achieved moderate success.
July 1999: Release of The Writing's on the Wall
In July 1999, Destiny's Child released their second album, The Writing's on the Wall, which became a multi-platinum success.
May 2001: Release of Survivor
In May 2001, Destiny's Child released their third studio album, Survivor, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
2001: Popularization of the Term "Bootylicious" by Destiny's Child
In 2001, Destiny's Child popularized the term "bootylicious" with their single of the same name, which later became associated with Beyoncé's curvaceous figure.
2001: Grammy Awards for "Say My Name"
In 2001, Destiny's Child's song "Say My Name" won Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Best R&B Song at the Grammy Awards.
July 2002: Theatrical Film Debut in Austin Powers in Goldmember
In July 2002, Beyoncé made her theatrical film debut, portraying Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in Goldmember and released "Work It Out" as the lead single from the film's soundtrack.
June 14, 2003: Premiere of Songs from Dangerously in Love
On June 14, 2003, Beyoncé premiered songs from her debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, during her first solo concert, which was broadcast as a pay-per-view television special.
November 2003: Dangerously in Love Tour
In November 2003, Beyoncé embarked on the European Dangerously in Love Tour and North American Verizon Ladies First Tour alongside Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys.
2003: Became a "Crossover Sex Symbol" After Dangerously in Love Release
According to music journalist Touré in Rolling Stone, Beyoncé became a "crossover sex symbol" after the release of her album Dangerously in Love in 2003.
2003: Release of Dangerously in Love
In 2003, Beyoncé released her debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, which became one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century.
February 1, 2004: Super Bowl XXXVIII Performance
On February 1, 2004, Beyoncé performed "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the US, at Super Bowl XXXVIII.
November 15, 2004: Release of Destiny Fulfilled
On November 15, 2004, Destiny's Child's final album, Destiny Fulfilled, was released.
2004: Previous Grammy Wins
Beyoncé previously tied in 2004 for the most Grammy awards won in a single night by a female artist.
2004: "Bootylicious" Added to Oxford English Dictionary
In 2004, the word "bootylicious", popularized by Destiny's Child's 2001 single of the same name, was added to the Oxford English Dictionary, defined as "(of a woman) sexually attractive".
October 2005: Release of #1's
In October 2005, Destiny's Child released their first compilation album, #1's.
2005: Destiny's Child Disbands
In 2005, Destiny's Child disbanded, leading Beyoncé to pursue her solo career.
March 2006: Destiny's Child Honored on Hollywood Walk of Fame
In March 2006, Destiny's Child was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
September 4, 2006: Release of B'Day
On September 4, 2006, Beyoncé's second solo album, B'Day, was released internationally, coinciding with her twenty-fifth birthday.
2006: Release of B'Day and Starring in Dreamgirls
In 2006, Beyoncé released the album B'Day and starred in the drama film Dreamgirls.
2006: Acting in The Pink Panther and Dreamgirls
In 2006, Beyoncé's first acting role was in the comedy film The Pink Panther, and she also starred in Dreamgirls, a cinematic adaptation of the Broadway musical.
December 2007: Engagement to Jay-Z
In December 2007, Beyoncé and Jay-Z became engaged.
2007: Grammy Nominations for B'Day
In 2007, B'Day and some of its songs received five nominations at the Grammy Awards, winning Best Contemporary R&B Album.
2007: Second African American Woman on Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Cover
In 2007, Beyoncé became the second African American woman to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue magazine, and People recognized her as the best-dressed celebrity.
2007: Release of Spanish-Language Tracks for Irreemplazable
In 2007, Beyoncé released Spanish-language tracks for Irreemplazable, which was a Spanish reissue of songs from her album B'Day.
April 4, 2008: Marriage to Jay-Z
On April 4, 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z married in a small, private ceremony.
November 12, 2008: Release of I Am... Sasha Fierce
On November 12, 2008, Beyoncé released her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce, formally introducing her alter ego Sasha Fierce.
2008: Introduction of Alter Ego Sasha Fierce
In 2008, Beyoncé introduced her alter ego, Sasha Fierce, with the release of her third solo studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. Sasha Fierce was created during the production of "Crazy in Love".
2008: Portrayal of Etta James in Cadillac Records
In 2008, Beyoncé portrayed blues singer Etta James in the musical biopic Cadillac Records, earning several nominations.
2008: Marriage to Jay-Z and Starring in Cadillac Records
In 2008, Beyoncé's marriage to Jay-Z and her portrayal of Etta James in the biopic Cadillac Records influenced her album I Am... Sasha Fierce.
2008: L'Oreal Denies Whitening Accusations
In 2008, L'Oreal denied accusations of whitening Beyoncé's skin in their Feria hair color advertisements, addressing concerns about colorism.
2008: Grammy Nominations for B'Day
In 2008, the album B'Day garnered two more nominations at the Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year for "Irreplaceable".
March 2009: I Am... Tour
In March 2009, Beyoncé embarked on the I Am... Tour, her second headlining worldwide concert tour.
2009: Acting in Obsessed
In 2009, Beyoncé played Sharon Charles in the psychological thriller Obsessed, which performed strongly at the US box office.
January 2010: Hiatus from Music
In January 2010, Beyoncé announced a hiatus from her music career, taking a nine-month break to travel and experience new things.
February 2010: Beyoncé Stated She No Longer Needed Alter Ego Sasha Fierce
By February 2010, Beyoncé stated she no longer needed the alter ego, Sasha Fierce, having grown more comfortable with herself.
September 2010: Runway Debut
In September 2010, Beyoncé made her runway modelling debut at Tom Ford's Spring/Summer 2011 fashion show.
2010: Grammy Awards
At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010, Beyoncé received ten nominations and won six, breaking a record for the most Grammy awards won in a single night by a female artist, and tied with Lauryn Hill for most Grammy nominations in a single year by a female artist.
March 2011: Father ceases managing her career
In March 2011, Mathew Knowles, Beyoncé's father, stopped managing her career.
April 2011: Pregnancy discovery
In April 2011, during a photoshoot in Paris for her upcoming album cover, Beyoncé unexpectedly discovered that she was pregnant.
June 24, 2011: Release of '4'
On June 24, 2011, Beyoncé released her fourth studio album, '4', in the US, which debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart.
June 26, 2011: Glastonbury Headline Performance
On June 26, 2011, Beyoncé headlined the main Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, becoming the first solo female artist in over two decades to do so.
August 2011: Pregnancy announcement at MTV Video Music Awards
In August 2011, Beyoncé revealed her pregnancy at the MTV Video Music Awards while performing 'Love on Top', contributing to record viewership and social media engagement for the ceremony.
August 29, 2011: "Beyonce pregnant" becomes most Googled phrase
During the week of August 29, 2011, "Beyonce pregnant" became the most Googled phrase.
2011: Honored with Billboard Millennium Award
At the 2011 Billboard Music Awards, Beyoncé was honored with the Billboard Millennium Award, recognizing her outstanding achievements and influence in the music industry.
2011: Formation of Parkwood Entertainment and Release of 4
In 2011, Beyoncé formed the management company Parkwood Entertainment and embraced traditional R&B and soul on her album 4.
2011: BeyHive Replaces Beyontourage as Fanbase Name
In 2011, the name of Beyoncé's fanbase was changed from the Beyontourage to the BeyHive.
2011: '4' certified platinum
In late 2011, the album '4' was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America after shipping one million copies to retail stores.
January 7, 2012: Birth of Blue Ivy Carter
On January 7, 2012, Beyoncé gave birth to her first daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, in New York City.
January 2012: Naming of Scaptia beyonceae Horse-Fly Species
In January 2012, Australian research scientist Bryan Lessard named a species of horse-fly, Scaptia beyonceae, after Beyoncé, due to the insect's distinctive golden hairs on its abdomen.
May 2012: Sasha Fierce's Return for Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live
In May 2012, Beyoncé announced that Sasha Fierce would return for her Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live performances later that month.
June 2012: Performances at Revel Atlantic City
In June 2012, Beyoncé performed for four nights at Revel Atlantic City's Ovation Hall to celebrate the resort's opening.
2012: Named the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" by People and the "Hottest Female Singer of All Time" by Complex
In 2012, Beyoncé was named the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" by People magazine and the "Hottest Female Singer of All Time" by Complex.
January 2013: National Anthem Performance and Super Bowl Halftime Show
In January 2013, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem during Obama's second presidential inauguration and in February, she headlined the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show in New Orleans.
January 2013: GQ Cover and "100 Sexiest Women of the 21st Century" List
In January 2013, GQ placed Beyoncé on its cover, featuring her atop its "100 Sexiest Women of the 21st Century" list.
April 2013: Mrs. Carter Show World Tour Kickoff
In April 2013, Beyoncé embarked on the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour and released a cover of Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black' with André 3000 for The Great Gatsby's soundtrack.
December 13, 2013: Surprise Release of 'Beyoncé'
On December 13, 2013, Beyoncé unexpectedly released her fifth studio album, 'Beyoncé', on the iTunes Store without prior announcement or promotion.
2013: Popularization of Surprise Album Releases with Beyoncé
Beyoncé's 2013 album, Beyoncé, popularized surprise releases, prompting widespread adoption of unconventional promotional strategies throughout the 2010s and 2020s.
2013: H&M Retouching Controversy
In 2013, Beyoncé criticized H&M for their proposed "retouching" of promotional images of her, requesting only "natural pictures be used".
2013: Release of Visual Album Beyoncé
In 2013, Beyoncé released her album Beyoncé as a visual album, with each track paired with a music video to form a continuous narrative.
2013: Release and success of self-titled album 'Beyoncé'
In 2013, Beyoncé released her self-titled album 'Beyoncé', which explored darker and more personal themes and was a visual album. It sold 2.3 million units worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of the year.
2013: Release of Beyoncé and Popularizing Visual Albums
In 2013, Beyoncé released the electronic-influenced album Beyoncé, which popularized surprise and visual albums.
April 2014: On the Run Tour Announcement
In April 2014, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, known as The Carters, announced their first co-headlining stadium tour called the On the Run Tour.
August 24, 2014: Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award
On August 24, 2014, Beyoncé received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards, and won three additional honors.
November 24, 2014: 'Beyoncé' Reissued as Platinum Edition
On November 24, 2014, Beyoncé's self-titled album was reissued as the Platinum Edition, featuring six additional songs.
2015: Loss of Most-Followed Account on Instagram
In 2015, Beyoncé lost her position as the most-followed account on Instagram, but she remains one of its most-followed users.
February 6, 2016: Release of 'Formation' and Super Bowl 50 Halftime Performance
On February 6, 2016, Beyoncé released the single 'Formation' and performed it live for the first time during the NFL Super Bowl 50 halftime show.
April 16, 2016: Lemonade Teaser Release
On April 16, 2016, Beyoncé released a teaser for a project titled Lemonade.
October 2016: End of Formation World Tour
Beyoncé completed the Formation World Tour in October 2016, which was the first all-stadium tour by a female artist and won Tour of the Year at the 44th American Music Awards.
2016: Success at MTV Video Music Awards
In 2016, Beyoncé received eleven nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards for the 'Lemonade' visuals, winning eight awards, including Video of the Year for 'Formation'.
2016: Release of Visual Album Lemonade
In 2016, Beyoncé released her album Lemonade as a visual album, with each track paired with a music video to form a continuous narrative.
2016: Release of Lemonade
In 2016, Beyoncé released the eclectic album Lemonade, which sparked sociopolitical discourse and was the best-selling album worldwide that year.
2016: "Beyoncé Day" in Minnesota
In Minnesota, May 23 is designated as "Beyoncé Day" to mark the same day she performed the Formation World Tour in the state in 2016.
January 2017: Coachella Headliner Announcement
In January 2017, Beyoncé was announced as a headliner for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
February 2017: Grammy Awards and Pregnancy Announcement
In February 2017, Beyoncé won two Grammy Awards for Lemonade and announced her second pregnancy on Instagram, setting a world record for the most-liked image on the platform at the time. She was also nominated for Album of the Year and Record and Song of the Year for 'Formation'.
February 2018: First female artist to have three albums surpass one billion streams on Spotify
In February 2018, '4' made Beyoncé the first female artist to have three of her albums surpass one billion streams on Spotify.
June 6, 2018: On the Run II Tour Launch
On June 6, 2018, Beyoncé and Jay-Z launched their On the Run II Tour.
December 2, 2018: Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100
On December 2, 2018, Beyoncé and Jay-Z headlined the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
2018: Coachella Performance
In 2018, Beyoncé headlined both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, paying homage to Black culture and including a Destiny's Child reunion.
April 17, 2019: Release of 'Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé'
On April 17, 2019, 'Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé', a documentary and concert film chronicling the 2018 Coachella performances, was released on Netflix, alongside 'Homecoming: The Live Album'.
2019: The Lion King Remake and The Gift Album
In 2019, Beyoncé starred as the voice of Nala in the remake of The Lion King, contributed to the film's soundtrack, and curated and produced The Lion King: The Gift album.
April 2020: "Savage" Remix Release
In April 2020, Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé released a remix of 'Savage', which topped the Billboard Hot 100.
July 2020: Release of Black Is King
In July 2020, Beyoncé released Black Is King, the visual companion to The Gift, written, directed, and executive produced by her.
2021: Grammy Wins and Academy Award Nomination
In 2021, Beyoncé became the most-awarded singer and female individual in Grammy history, and earned her first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for 'Be Alive' from the film King Richard.
June 16, 2022: Announcement of 'Renaissance'
On June 16, 2022, Beyoncé announced the title of her seventh studio album, Renaissance.
July 29, 2022: Release of Renaissance
On July 29, 2022, Beyoncé released her album Renaissance to critical acclaim. The album is a homage to Black queer pioneers and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with 332,000 copies sold in its first week, making Beyoncé the first artist to have her first seven studio albums debut at number one in the US.
2022: Release of Renaissance
In 2022, Beyoncé released the queer-inspired dance album Renaissance, the first part of an ongoing trilogy project.
January 21, 2023: First Full Concert in Four Years in Dubai
On January 21, 2023, Beyoncé performed her first full concert in over four years at a private event in Dubai for an audience of influencers and journalists. She was reportedly paid $24 million for the show, which sparked criticism due to the United Arab Emirates' laws criminalizing homosexuality.
November 2023: Release of Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé
In November 2023, Beyoncé released Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, a documentary concert film that chronicled the creation of the Renaissance World Tour. She wrote, directed, and produced the film in partnership with AMC Theatres.
2023: Ranked Eighth on Rolling Stone's List of the "200 Greatest Singers of All Time"
In 2023, Beyoncé was ranked eighth on Rolling Stone's list of the "200 Greatest Singers of All Time", with the magazine stating that her voice contains the entire history of Black music.
February 11, 2024: Announcement of Cowboy Carter and Release of New Singles
On February 11, 2024, Beyoncé announced the second installment of her trilogy project and released its first two singles, "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages". "Texas Hold 'Em" became her ninth solo number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 and her first on the Billboard Global 200.
March 12, 2024: Announcement of Cowboy Carter Album Title
On March 12, 2024, Beyoncé announced the title of her upcoming album, Cowboy Carter, which was later released to universal acclaim on March 29.
July 2024: Promotional Commercials for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris
In July 2024, NBC released two promotional commercials featuring Beyoncé for their coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
December 2024: Headlining the First-Ever NFL Christmas Gameday Halftime Show
In December 2024, Beyoncé headlined the first-ever NFL Christmas Gameday Halftime Show, where she debuted songs from her album, Cowboy Carter.
2024: Most RIAA-Certified Female Artist in History
In 2024, Beyoncé became the most RIAA-certified female artist in history, recognizing her significant record sales and impact.
2024: Release of Cowboy Carter
In 2024, Beyoncé released the Americana epic Cowboy Carter, highlighting the contributions of Black pioneers to American musical and cultural history.
2024: Named Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century
In 2024, Billboard named Beyoncé the greatest pop star of the 21st century, recognizing her significant influence in music history.
2025: Grammy Wins and Cowboy Carter Tour
In 2025, at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, Beyoncé became the first Black artist in 50 years to win in the country categories and the first Black artist to win Best Country Album. She also won Album of the Year, the first Black woman to do so in 25 years. Beyoncé also embarked on the Cowboy Carter Tour across the US and Europe, which became the highest-grossing country tour of all time.
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