2011-15 SINGLES

*7*— BEYONCÉ- 1+1

Beyoncé’s place on the pop charts was superseded this year by Lady Gaga, the Katys and of course, Rihanna. The comparisons between the two have been running for years, with Rihanna moving into the dominant singles sales position this year on the force of her nearly non-stop world tour promotion of a continuing string of releases. Talk That Talk is her sixth album in seven years. I noted in the course of one week this spring she flew from Europe to LA for a live American Idol appearance and then back again all within 48 hours.  Beyoncé’s latest album,4, comes after her much publicised year off and she’s kept tour dates to a minimum. I don’t think that’s the only reason why 4 hasn’t been embraced by radio the way her previous recordings have. 4 is a more interesting but less current R&B album. Rihanna’s pursuing club beats and moves, Beyoncé’s exploring world dance styles and incorporating historical fashion references into traditional forms. Countdown is a favorite among many critics this year. Aside from the ” Boof, Boof” and ” grind the pony girl” lyrics which are a hoot, the video is more interesting than the song.

1+1 is a traditional R&B Ballad. Here, the voice and the lyric are more than the sum of the parts.