Scribbled in history books for some good and not-so-good reasons, 2016 brought with it some of modern music’s most memorable moments.
Now, as the year draws to a close, TGJ is reflecting on 31 moments that rocked – and to some degree shaped – the Urban and Pop musical landscape as we know it.
Next we’ll reflect on what was inarguably Beyonce‘s most controversial year-to-date
At the top of 2016, with fever for the follow-up to 2013’s uber-successful ‘Beyonce’ at its peak, the Grammy-winning diva unveiled the tune ‘Formation’ – a controversial tune that saw its video ode survivors of Hurricane Katrina, the Black Lives Matter movement, and mothers of sons slain by the police.
But, while the video caused its fair share of chatter, those conversations were sent into overdrive when Bey stepped onto the Super Bowl field to deliver the tune’s first televised live showing. Decked in a Black Panther-inspired getup, the singer pop, locked, and dropped her way across the field – much to the pleasure of her diehard fans (and the chagrin of a whole new set of detractors).
By the next day, headlines rang across media that Beyonce was inciting violence against police and that she, herself, was anti-police. And, while some prepared themselves to attend her post-Super Bowl announced ‘Formation’ world tour, others prepared to set fuel to the post-Super Bowl birthed #BoycottBeyonce movement (read more on that here). A movement that was literally supported by a number of fraternal police orders across the country, a number of cities – Miami, Nashville, and even her hometown of Houston – vowed against providing security when her stadium tour stopped in their towns (read more on that here).
The fury seemed to calm a bit after the ‘Hold Up’ hitmaker addressed it and people’s attention were redirected to her new visual album, ‘Lemonade,’ which hit number 1 and spurred rumors of unrest in the Carter household.
Taking her ‘Formation’ show across the country without a hitch – eventually becoming the highest grossing tour by a female in 2016 – fans who thought most of the controversy was behind her were shocked when she was announced a performer at the 2016 CMAs (Country Music Awards). Inciting a shocking backlash from regular viewers of the show – many of whom branded her a “cop hater” and “unpatriotic” – the promise of boycott from viewers was so strong even the network had to chime in (read more on that here). It would eventually go on to be the lowest rated edition to date of the franchise.
*****
After a year of critical highs and lows, how did Beyonce end the year? With the best-selling album by a female (released in 2016), highest grossing tour by a female, and most Grammy nominations for 2017 for her critically acclaimed album ‘Lemonade,’ of course.
![Stream: 'Wicked: the Movie' Soundtrack [Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, & More]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/wicked-soundtrack-trailer-thatgrapejuice-cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande-464x260.jpg "Stream: 'Wicked: the Movie' Soundtrack [Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, & More].")
![New Video: Jon B. - 'Natural Drug' [Starring Cynthia Bailey]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/natural-drug-video-thatgrapejuice-jon-b-2024-cynthia-bailey-464x260.jpg "New Video: Jon B. - 'Natural Drug' [Starring Cynthia Bailey].")
I’d say the year she faked her pregnancy was her most controversial to date!
Oooop #fact #tea
Ooh. When exactly was that? Why does she look like Jay and her then?
Faked her pregnancy? You sound stupid as hell. Just cause she was able to carry her pregnancy well and bounce back beautifully doesn’t mean she “faked” anything. You dirty navel having bxxtches are pathetic as f**.
Fake song writing credits
flop post
She’s resorted to cheap shock tactics and gimmicks the past two albums for sales.
Exactly queen.
B****.
None of that guarantees album sales. Nobody was forced to buy Lemonade! At least she didnt have purchase her own album certifications *sips Cuervo with no chaser*
you mean like Turning Me On the Remix or The Way You Love Me the video?
Keri Hillson should use that same ” shock tactics” and “gimmick” you speak of. It might just revive her flopping music career. ??
Maybe Keri needs to fake something to become relevant again, I don’t understand how you have so much to say when your fave is nowhere on the charts and hasn’t been for what two to three years.. Come back when you can provide a date for her album release
People are so over this fraud its not even funny.
Shut yo follow the leader ass up!
STFU MAGGOT!?
if scanning 2x Platinum according to the RIAA with zero Pop radio support is being over then what is failing to reach Gold with payola on lock? #TANKvival
Over her, but still got her name on your lips! When I’m over someone, I usually stop being bothered with them, or any post involved. But, folks are over her..so…
Jason, you took the words right out of my mouth. Bey ain’t losing no sleep. She wakes up unbothered as her haters contribute to her consistant relevancy. I think everyone can agree that slayed this year!
All that hate she still succeful this b**** she twirled on tamism or tamy ex mayor of New York Trumps supporters feminist against lemonade fox news…. boycott to formation on radios stations cops Kkk White supremacist cma navy adèle Arianna and selena kim kardashian fans dislike every video so she can be really proud
Nope the year her supposed pregnant belly folded into multiple layers on live TV was definitely her most controversial.
All that controversy didn’t stop her shine one bit! She’s gotten bigger and better since then. Plus, her daughter came out her own pusssy…(health, smart, and pretty).
Keep slaying BaddiBEY!!!
Healthy***
LMFAOOO at her hidden BeyHive being here first! ????
.
Anyway she’s LEGEND and hater’s are. Paving new lanes and has all your favs checking for her next move.
.
She’ll clean the Grammys and her hater’s will cry and say “she purchased them” while giving no pape or digital trail of the receipts.
.
I live for the meltdowns she’s delivering without even trying lmao!
she’s the biggest star out right now
This is Beyonce’s most controversial era to date. Shes been getting heat every since she performed Formation at the Superbowl. She helped bring light to the blm issue this year – risked losing white fans and was black mailed- because of the half time show which is watched by millions of people
hmmm why was the post deleted? I’m curious.
Right! What’s up with that? Lol
Formation did just that!
.
cause all the conversation to ensure that she’s dat bxtch in the game
Shakira
.
Britney
.
Xtina
.
JLo
.
Rihanna
.
Tinashe
.
Ciara
.
Keri Hilson
.
Basic Swift
.
other lessor male singers combined together
.
.
the stans of these flops are always trying it!!!
not forgetting those 2 ugly lil cutters ala LOL and Rima
the human sewage at this point is as useless as The great lacefronce amd sybil
doesn’t Shakira and Britney have albums or singles out?
.
why nobody paying those h*** any attention?
All those comments back to back saying nothing lmao you need a hobby outside of that grape juice
Shakira’s Spanish song is the most watched video on YouTube currently… Averaging more than 15 million everyday.
How is all night doing again?
H***?
Shakira on her worst day looks better than Beyonce on her best… Don’t make me pull out the beautiful liar video and reveal who had layers of make up just catch up.
lies, shakira not fcking with bey facially and her body isn’t either. try again, and please pull the video. Ive watched it a thousand times, and bey dances better two. shakira looks good but bey is beautiful. try again!!!!!
adele, or gaga not f****** with bey vocally, I study music, now you may have your preference as far as tone but they do not have enough octaves to f*** with especially adele. What, she has like two octaves compared to bey 4 and gaga is plain jane, no type of versatility, try again yo!!! Jazmine Sullivan eating gaga and adele up on her worst day and she is so underrated. I think that you forgot to use your q-tips, because you not hearing correctly. lmao
Girl stop with the lies… Beyonce looks like a man facially and has the weirdest body type ever.
Beyonce can dance better than shakira maybe in your deluded fantasy.
People like you are the reason gaga did “perfect delusion “cos the hives are the most delusional fanbase ever.
Don’t make me pull out dream girls and reveal how j hud slaughtered your fake Beyonce vocally…. You act like Beyonce is a Whitney when even Mariah and screamtina can sing her back to the texan hood she came from.
Enough!!!!! So tired of hearing about this chick! She is not the best to have ever DONE IT! There’s plenty of chicks out there they will slay her wig vocally & eat her on the dance floor. Who gives a fawk at what kind of “Controversial Year” she’s had. FOH!
Like who? I’ll wait…
Ciara can dance her off a stage. But I’ll wait for the name drop for who can vocally slay beyonce. I’ll also wait for someone with greater stage presence…
Ciara can dance but her voice is shot. The same thing applies to people like JLo and Tanisha. Sure Adele can sing but she’s not a performer. Beyonce is a jack of all trades. None of the entertainers out today have the whole package like she does. Beyonce slays!
Yeah its true that ciara can dance….BUT I HATE WHEN SHE DOES CHOREOGRAPHY, ITS NEVER A SMOOTH OR CRISP LIKE A JANET (WHO I STILL THINK IS A BETTER DANCER). BUT STILL, NO ONE IS TOUHCING CI-MAN WHEN IT COMES TO DANCING…..AS FAR AS HER ALLEGED ‘VOCALS’, I’LL……..NVM
Ciara tinashe shakira all slays befakece on the dance floor.
Lady gaga Adele can all match her vocally
Pink Bruno Mars Madonna all put on better shows than her on stage… Seat your ass down.
@Amerikka, You sound young and dumb! Christina Aguilera will sing that b**** into retirement. So will adele, gaga, brandy, monica (questionable), fantasia, jazmin, and her DC members kelly and letoya lucket!Why you think Bey never show cases her vocals…She knows all it takes is one updated comparison post Dangerously in Love to be labeled the thrash she really is! As for the stage, yes Janet, Ciara, Shakira, tinashe, and ofcourse Ms.Jlo ?!
@Amerikka, oh and i forgot Pink! Now grow up you young uneducated, trailer park pest magnet!
What type of meth have you been smoking? Christian’s vocals have deteriorated with time. No pitch control at all what so ever. Btw nobody is checking for Pink’ s Bed Bath and Beyond tour
Thank you @ Lea! These dirty ozz kids don’t know no better.
Rihanna just scored another top 20 with Love on the brain
Kiiii how is all night doing?
I don’t see Daddy lessons anywhere on the charts after all that controversy and basic performance. Hasn’t the newly recorded version featuring the Dixie chicks been released to all streaming platforms?
With no promo or video..when will Daddy Lessons or All Night?
All night is doing just fine, that’s all ive been hearing on the radio and how did your fav’s tour do??? 1 2 3, horrific. lmao. Bey is the hit, and her formation tour proves it, over 256 million in sales.
Go report that b******* on a Rihanna post…
She should drop a video and send it to number one!
Why you numb hateibg broke b****** just except the fact queen bet is the best in every thing. Bow bitchez
Do you not remember when the b*tches bump deflated on national tv? Or the fact that they shut down the entire maternity floor, allowing nobody in or out, so much to the point not even other new parents weren’t allowed to see their own newborns. I never heard of any celebrity doing that. Trying to hide their surrogate!
Exactly!
“You know you that bîtch when you cause all this conversation”
Oop! IBillboard named Sorry as the second Best pop single of 2016.
.
Billboard Best Pop Songs of 2016
#63 Don’t Hurt Yourself
#23 Hold Up
#14 Formation
#2 Sorry
Where is the Aunti though?
Sitting behind Strugil Simpson’s album on the shelves at K-Mart struggling for recognition. ?
Somewhere struggling to hit platiunum PURE SALES..(NON-SAMSUNG PURCHASED).
Getting 8 nominations for the grammy award.. Producing 4 top 20 singles ,producing the biggest single of 2016 and the most streamed single of 2016 ….what did you ask again?
I see what you did there…
Did those songs even chart? I must have missed them on the BB 100
They all charted on the hot 100 without promotion…
RoTfl!!! Gtfoh, what part of beyonce pays for these things do u h*** not understand. How can a song that didn’t chart be labeled as “the best” of anything? You barely even heard that trash on the radio because noone requested it and even the D.J’s couldn’t stand to listen yo it, smh!
Billboard also named Lemonade as Album of The Year! Auntie couldn’t crack the top 10! ?
.
http://www.billboard.com/photos/7597536/billboards-50-best-albums-of-2016-critics-picks/51?utm_source=twitter
OOPS!!!!!!!!!!! I GUESS BEYONCE BOUGHT THAT NO 1 TOO…LOL
Yup! You know Auntie can’t afford anything this era. I mean the tour and album were flops and she stays doing drugs and drinking. LMAO!
Lemonade made #4 on Times Top 10 Things That Broke the Internet in 2016! LMAO!
.
http://time.com/4566823/top-10-things-the-internet-couldnt-stop-talking-about/
Beyoncé is doing her job. Keeping you haters pressed as usual ??. Keep slaying queen ! I can’t wait for the meltdowns when she snatches those Grammys. Just think she will be only 35 with 24-28 grammys ???
Ok, I’m puzzledoing? How does this h** have the “best selling album for a female in 2016?? She aint even 2x platinum!!! Further more her singles didn’t chart that well (1 top 10; formation), nor does she have any multi platinum singles!!
Sure her tours was the best selling. But that’s it…
This site be trying it!
Lmaooo, no album released in 2016 by a female artist is anywhere near the sales of Lemonade which is eligible for 2x platinum with SPS. It is indeed the best selling album by a female artist this year by far.
PitchFork have named Lemonade as the 3rd best album of 2016! A Seat At The Table was crowned #1!!!
.
Auntie once again failed to crack the top 10 LMFAOOO
.
http://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/9980-the-50-best-albums-of-2016/?page=5
Lemonade was her best album. Very diverse but not ground breaking by any means. It was much like BEYONCE, front loaded sales only to stall at 5 million copies (World wide by the way). All of us who know her know she’s been doing the “visual album” thing ever since BDay, nothing new there (I suspect it was her father’s idea). Apart from the hype her fans use to gas her up, it doesn’t translate to general public, evidence for this: all of the HBO specials tanked, literally ALL of them and the extremely poor performance of her radio singles ever since her fourth album. Exceptional live performer, probably the best there is, very talented, 55% hype and 45% substance. She’s much like bubblegum, great at the beginning but pretty forgettable after a short period of time. Also, I’ve never met anybody who’s ever listened to beyonce album from start to finish. That’s all.
Definitely I would agree.. And Lemonade easily the most talked about album. I love it
*Plays “Pray You catch me”. ?? ?