Switched on Pop

Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' Era ICYMI

Sep 5, 2023

Beloved guest Sam Sanders joins Switched On Pop to discuss Beyoncé's ambitious album Renaissance, which pays homage to dance music innovators and incorporates various styles and influences. They analyze the controversy surrounding a small sample on the album and highlight the extensive musical references and collaborations found on Renaissance. The podcast explores how Beyoncé credits and compensates her influences, resulting in a triumph of musical curation. They also discuss the origins of certain songs and the debate surrounding ownership of a sound in music.

30:54

Episode guests

Sam Sanders

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Beyoncé's album Renaissance pays tribute to black and queer dance music innovators through samples and interpolations of songs from various genres.

The complex song structures and powerful vocal performances in Beyoncé's Renaissance album showcase her artistic freedom and ability to seamlessly blend different musical ideas.

Deep dives

Beyonce's Renaissance album continues to dominate the culture

A year after its release, Beyonce's Renaissance is still one of the most talked about albums of the moment. It continues to dominate the culture bolstered by a record-breaking tour that has been selling out stadiums all summer.

Introduction

4min

Beyoncé's Collaboration with Black Trans Producer and House DJs

9min

Analyzing Transitions and Controversies in the Album

4min

The Similarities and Origins of 'Energy' and 'Milkshake'

3min

Ownership of a Sound and the Missed Music

2min

Beyoncé's Musical Choices and Black Identity

8min

In case you missed it, Beyoncé’s new album Renaissance is one of her most ambitious albums yet. On this week’s episode of Switched On Pop, we discuss Renaissance with beloved guest Sam Sanders, host of the new Vulture podcast Into It. In Sanders’ words: “it’s trying to do a lot” – but in the best way. The album incorporates seemingly every decade of contemporary popular dance music from Chic’s “Good Times” to Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy.”

Much of the early discourse surrounding the album was marred by a confusing controversy over a small sample (we try to resolve the issue musicologically) – but the references on Renaissance are worth listening closely to, acting as a guide through essential dance music. The album is an homage to the black and queer innovators of dance; with samples and interpolations of songs both niche and mainstream flying by, like a DJ set curated by house music pioneers.

On Renaissance, Beyoncé goes out of her way to cite, credit and compensate her influences, resulting in a triumph of musical curation. Just look at “Alien Superstar”: the song credits twenty-four people, largely due to Beyoncé’s musical nods, rather than an exercise in boardroom style songwriting. Sanders says “the liner notes themselves are showing you that this woman and her team have a PhD in music history.”

Listen to Switched On Pop to hear how Renaissance honors dance music innovators and finds new modes of expression in the genre.

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