Beyoncé

Beyoncé learned her craft in Houston, in church choirs, school talent shows and her mother's hair salon, and she has spent her career refusing to stay in one sound. Her catalogue runs from the R&B and pop of Destiny's Child through funk, soul and electronic pop to the dance music of Renaissance and the country of Cowboy Carter. Vocal ability and live performance anchor it all: she was the first woman to headline an all-stadium tour, and she is the highest-grossing Black live music artist.

The route began with Girl's Tyme, a Houston group that lost on Star Search in 1993 before becoming Destiny's Child. After "No, No, No" in 1997, The Writing's on the Wall (1999) produced the US number ones "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name". Her solo debut, Dangerously in Love, came in 2003, and "Crazy in Love" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" were among five Hot 100 chart-toppers in the 2000s. Beyoncé (2013) arrived as a surprise visual album, and Lemonade (2016) was the year's best-selling record. Renaissance (2022) and Cowboy Carter (2024) yielded the US number ones "Break My Soul" and "Texas Hold 'Em". She holds a record 35 Grammy Awards.