Independent Women


"Independent Women" is a song by American girl group Destiny's Child. It was written and produced by production duo Poke & Tone, consisting of Samuel Barnes and Jean-Claude Olivier, along with Cory Rooney, and band member Beyoncé Knowles. The song first appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 film adaption of Charlie's Angels, serving as its lead single, and was later included on the group's third studio album, Survivor. "Independent Women" was Destiny's Child's first single to feature vocals from band member Michelle Williams who had joined the band in January 2000.
Released as the soundtrack's lead single in September 2000, the song held the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for eleven consecutive weeks from November 2000 to February 2001. Billboard likened the song's release strategy to being influenced by Janet Jackson's "Doesn't Really Matter", saying the group "began planting the seeds for the upcoming release" in a similar vein. The song appeared in The Proud Family episode "Don't Leave Home Without It". Most recently in 2014, a Target back to school commercial featured this song performed with classroom instruments. Billboard named the song number 77 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.

Background

"Independent Women" was used as a lead single for both the Charlie's Angels soundtrack, and the group's third album, Survivor. It was revealed that Knowles' father and then-manager, Mathew, submitted the track to the Charlie's Angels soundtrack without her knowledge.

Critical reception

The song was nominated for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media at the 2001 Grammy Awards.
It was also ranked at number 85 on the list of Britain's favorite 100 songs, published in May 2002. It was named the 18th most successful song of the 2000s, on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade. It was also nominated for Worst Song at the 2001 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards.

Chart performance

"Independent Women" was a chart success in the United States. The single reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single held the top position in the following week, which was seen as buoyed by the strong box office performance of the film and the heavy rotation it received. The song had a massive radio airplay, staying almost ten weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay, significantly contributing to the performance of the single on the main chart. Subsequently, the single spent eleven consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 top position. During its tenth week at the top spot, the music press had expected that the single would fall off the top position because of strong competition at retail; however, it sustained due to the high sales of the single's maxi version, released in December 2000. It was in the 2000–2001 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records for longest-running song by a female group. "Independent Women" also topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart for three weeks, becoming Destiny's Child fourth number one single on this chart.
"Independent Women" had entered the Billboard Hot 100 top 40 at number 33 on October 14, three weeks after its release. It climbed steadily, week on week, before overtaking their previous hit "Jumpin' Jumpin'" and reaching number one on November 18. The song's 11-week run at the top lasted through to February 3, 2001, making it the first #1 Billboard Hot 100 song of the new millennium. It managed to fend off strong challenges by Mýa and Dream before making way for Shaggy's "It Wasn't Me". "Independent Women" dropped to no.2 and culminated its top 40 run on March 31 after 28 weeks.
"Independent Women" debuted at number one in the United Kingdom in the week of December 2, 2000. The British Phonographic Industry has certified the single platinum for sales of over 600,000 physical singles. The song spent just one week at the top. It eventually managed 11 weeks in the UK top 40 - including 7 in the top 10 - before dropping out on February 17, 2001. The song was the 25th best selling of 2000 in the UK.
It also reached the number one position in Canada and New Zealand. It is also Destiny's Child's most successful single to date.

Music video

The music video was shot in Los Angeles from August 27 to September 1, 2000 and directed by Francis Lawrence. Destiny's Child take part of a futuristic Charlie's Angels boot camp and sit in a classroom to watch footage of Charlie's Angels. They learn from them and try out the challenges in several steps: agility, altitude, combat and speed. At the end, the women are greeted by the ever-mysterious "Charlie". The band also performs in a huge disco set in between the scenes.
The music video premiered on MTV's Making the Video and is featured on the DualDisc edition of the album #1's and on the DVD release of Charlie's Angels.

Track listings

European CD single COL 669822 2
  1. "Independent Women" – 3:41
  2. "Independent Women" – 4:17
  3. "Independent Women" 1 – 3:54
  4. "Independent Women" 1 – 9:36
UK CD single part 1 670593 2
  1. "Independent Women" – 3:41
  2. "Independent Women" 1 – 9:36
  3. "Independent Women" 1 – 3:54
UK CD single part 2
  1. "Independent Women"
  2. "Say My Name"
  3. "So Good"
US CD single 44K 79493
  1. "Independent Women" – 3:41
  2. "Independent Women" 1 – 5:30
  3. "Independent Women" 1 – 9:36
  4. "Independent Women" 1 – 7:30
  5. "8 Days of Christmas" – 3:29
;Notes
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Survivor.

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Chart Position
Australia 57
Belgium 87
Europe 22
Netherlands 91
Netherlands 90
Switzerland 30
US Billboard Hot 10010
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 43
US Mainstream Top 40 14
US Rhythmic 20

Decade-end charts

All Time Charts

Certifications