Beyoncé's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Beyoncé.

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is a highly influential American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. Celebrated for her powerful vocals and captivating live performances, she has become a significant cultural figure in the 21st century. Throughout her three-decade career, she has consistently reinvented her music and performance style, setting new standards for artistry in popular music. She is often considered one of the greatest entertainers and most influential artists of all time.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

2004: Record tied for most Grammy wins

In 2004, Beyoncé tied a record for the most Grammy awards won in a single night by a female artist. This record was tied at the Grammy Awards held in 2004.

2007: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue

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.

June 2008: Second Highest-Paid Musician

In June 2008, Forbes calculated that the $80 million earned between June 2007 and June 2008 made her the second highest-paid musician.

2009: Highest-Earning Power Couple

In 2009, Beyoncé and Jay-Z collectively earned $122 million, leading to their inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2011 as the highest-earning power couple.

2009: Forbes Celebrity 100 Placement

On the Forbes Celebrity 100 list, Beyoncé was placed fourth in 2009.

2010: Annual Highest-Earning Female Musician

Forbes named Beyoncé the annual highest-earning female musician in 2010.

2010: Grammy Awards and "Telephone" peak

In 2010, at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, Beyoncé tied with Lauryn Hill for the most Grammy nominations in a single year by a female artist with ten nominations for I Am... Sasha Fierce and film soundtrack work. She won six awards, including Best Contemporary R&B Album for I Am... Sasha Fierce and Song of the Year for "Single Ladies", setting a new record for the most Grammy wins in a single night by a female artist, which she previously tied in 2004. Also in 2010, Beyoncé provided vocals on Lady Gaga's song "Telephone", which peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

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2011: Guinness World Record

In 2011, Beyoncé and Jay-Z made it into Guinness Book of World Records as the "highest-earning power couple" for collectively earning $122 million in 2009.

2012: Highest-Paid Celebrity Couple

Forbes placed Beyoncé and Jay-Z at number one on the "World's Highest-Paid Celebrity Couples" list, collectively earning $78 million in 2012.

2012: Beauty and Sexiest Singer Titles

In 2012, Beyoncé was named the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" by People and the "Hottest Female Singer of All Time" by Complex.

January 2013: GQ Cover and "Sexiest Women" List

In January 2013, GQ featured Beyoncé on its cover, recognizing her atop its "100 Sexiest Women of the 21st Century" list.

December 13, 2013: Surprise release of "Beyoncé" album

On December 13, 2013, Beyoncé unexpectedly released her eponymous fifth studio album, "Beyoncé", on the iTunes Store without prior announcement or promotion. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, marking her fifth consecutive U.S. number-one debut and making her the first woman in the chart's history to achieve this milestone with her first five studio albums. The album received widespread critical acclaim and was a commercial success, selling one million digital copies globally within six days.

2013: Forbes Celebrity 100 Placement

On the Forbes Celebrity 100 list, Beyoncé was placed fourth in 2013.

August 24, 2014: Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and other wins at MTV Video Music Awards

On August 24, 2014, Beyoncé received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards and won three additional honors: Best Video with a Social Message and Best Cinematography for "Pretty Hurts", and Best Collaboration for "Drunk in Love".

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2014: Annual Highest-Earning Female Musician

Forbes named Beyoncé the annual highest-earning female musician in 2014.

2014: Named One of the 100 Most Influential People

Time magazine named Beyoncé one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014, continuing her streak from the previous year.

2016: Person of the Year Recognition

Beyoncé occupied the sixth place for Time magazine's 2016 Person of the Year, highlighting her continued influence.

2016: Highest-Paid Musician of 2016

Billboard named Beyoncé the highest-paid musician of 2016, with estimated earnings of $62.1 million.

2016: Highest-Paid Celebrity Couple

Forbes placed Beyoncé and Jay-Z at number one on the "World's Highest-Paid Celebrity Couples" list, collectively earning $107.5 million in 2016.

2016: Success of Lemonade at MTV Video Music Awards

In 2016, Lemonade's visuals earned eleven nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards, the most Beyoncé had ever received in a single year, and won eight awards, including Video of the Year for the "Formation" music video. The eight wins made Beyoncé the most-awarded artist in MTV Video Music Awards history with twenty-four total awards.

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February 2017: Grammy wins for Lemonade and Formation

In February 2017, at the 59th Grammy Awards, Lemonade led with nine nominations, and Beyoncé won two awards: Best Urban Contemporary Album for Lemonade and Best Music Video for "Formation".

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2017: Annual Highest-Earning Female Musician

Forbes named Beyoncé the annual highest-earning female musician in 2017.

April 2020: "Savage" remix peaks at number one

In April 2020, the remix of Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage", featuring Beyoncé, reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Beyoncé's seventh number-one hit as a solo artist.

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2021: Grammy Awards Record

At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2021, Beyoncé received nine nominations and won four awards. This achievement made her the most-awarded singer and female individual in Grammy history, and the second most-awarded individual overall. That same year, she co-wrote and recorded "Be Alive" for the biographical sports drama film King Richard, earning her first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 94th Annual Academy Awards.

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July 29, 2022: Release of Renaissance album

On July 29, 2022, Beyoncé released her album Renaissance to critical acclaim. The album, which features Black dance music styles and explores themes of escapism, hedonism, and self-expression, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making Beyoncé the first artist to have their first seven studio albums debut at number one in the United States.

2023: Ranked Eighth on Rolling Stone's '200 Greatest Singers of All Time' list

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Beyoncé eighth on its list of the "200 Greatest Singers of All Time", highlighting her voice's significance in Black music history.

2023: Named One of the 100 Most Influential People

Time magazine named Beyoncé one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2023, continuing her streak from previous years.

2024: Most RIAA-certified female artist in history

In 2024, Beyoncé became the most RIAA-certified female artist in history, adding to her over 200 million records sold worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

2024: Billboard names Beyoncé "Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century"

In 2024, Billboard named Beyoncé the "Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century", also including her on their "Greatest of All Time" list, recognizing her cultural significance.

2025: Grammy Wins and Cowboy Carter Tour

At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in 2025, Beyoncé achieved landmark wins in country categories and won Album of the Year. Later in 2025, she embarked on the Cowboy Carter Tour, with the final show in Las Vegas featuring a Destiny's Child reunion.

2025: Billboard ranks Beyoncé as a soloist at number three on its "Top 100 Women Artists of the 21st Century" list

Billboard ranked Beyoncé as a soloist at number three on its 2025 "Top 100 Women Artists of the 21st Century" list and as part of Destiny's Child, which was listed at number seventeen.