Destiny’s Child spend 11th week at #1 with “Independent Women”

Independent Women Destiny’s Child

Writer(s): Beyoncé Knowles, Cory Rooney, Samuel Barnes, Jean-Claude Olivier (see lyrics here) Released: September 4, 2000 First Charted: September 16, 2000 Peak: 111 US, 6 GR, 17 RR, 13 RB, 11 UK, 7 CN, 3 AU, 12 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.6 UK, 1.74 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 56.9 video, 227.24 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Destiny’s Child, “a Supremes for the 21st century,” TB ironically had their greatest success at the time of their greatest upheaval. With Beyoncé Knowles becoming the obvious Diana Ross-style leader, the rotating cast behind her mattered little. This was the group’s first single to feature new member Michelle Williams on vocals. It also was the first appearance on a single for Farrah Franklin, but she had been jettisoned from the group by the time the video was filmed. WK The song was the biggest of Destiny Child’s career and spent more weeks atop the Billboard charts than any other soundtrack song in history up to that point. SF The song was also listed in the 2001 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running song by a female group. WK “Women” began life as a solo recording from Beyoncé. After an argument with her boyfriend, she recorded this declaration of female independence. She re-recorded it with her bandmates when Columbia Studios asked for the song’s inclusion in a new Charlie’s Angels movie. They changed some words, even mentioning the film’s stars Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu in the lyrics. SF In the video, the band members took on the roles of the three Charlie’s Angels. SF “Part 1” was added in brackets to distinguish this version from the different version (that became “Part 2”) that appeared on the group’s album Survivor. SF “Part 2” was a bit slower and sported some different lyrics as well as “space-age sound effects.” TB “Part 2” was the original song and then the Pasadena remix became the single version and got moved to “Part 1” status. WK Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Destiny’s Child SF Songfacts TB Thunder Bay Press (2006). Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits & Classic Cuts. Outline Press Ltd.: San Diego, CA. Page 291. WK Wikipedia First posted 1/12/2019; last updated 3/22/2023.