Sweet Dreams (Beyoncé Knowles song)
Encyclopedia
"Sweet Dreams" is a song by American R&B
singer Beyoncé Knowles
from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). Originally titled "Beautiful Nightmare", the song leaked in March 2008, eight months prior to the album's release. Written and produced by Knowles, James Scheffer
, Wayne Wilkins
, and Rico Love
, the track was released as the album's sixth single. It was sent to the Top 40 and rhythmic contemporary radios on June 2, 2009. Written in the key of E minor
and set in common time
with a moderate groove tempo
of 130 beats per minute, "Sweet Dreams", lyrically, describes a beautiful relationship, which the singer believes could be a dream.
"Sweet Dreams" received widespread critical acclaim for its "spark", "energy", "dark tone" and "electropop sound", with some critics noting its aural similarities to Michael Jackson
's "Beat It
". "Sweet Dreams" gained popularity for its electropop sound, which is in contrast to her earlier R&B
, urban
, and funk-tinged
releases. The song was nominated for the "Viewers Choice Award
" at the 2010 BET Awards
. The single topped the New Zealand Singles Chart. It peaked inside the top five in Australia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Russia, Slovakia and the United Kingdom. The song went on to be certified Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA), the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
(RIANZ) and the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA).
The music video was directed by Adria Petty and shot in Brooklyn
, New York. The golden robot suit that Knowles wears, was designed by French fashion designer Thierry Mugler
. The video was well-received by critics after its premiere on July 9, 2009. "Sweet Dreams" was promoted by Knowles with live performances during her world tour including her live performance at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards
on November 5, 2009. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) recognized "Sweet Dreams" as one of the most performed songs of 2009 at the 27th ASCAP Pop Music Awards.
, Wayne Wilkins
and Rico Love
. Concerning the production of the song, Love told: "[...] that was the experience of a lifetime working with one of the greatest vocalists
of all time." Knowles recorded the song in an hour at the South Beat Studios in Miami Beach
, Florida
. Love revealed to MTV News
that when Knowles came into the studio, she was not prepared to record. However, when she heard a demo
of the song, she immediately said: "Let's do it." Knowles liked Love's background vocals
in the hook
and retained them. The song leaked
the day after it was recorded in March 2008, that was, eight months before the album's release. It marked the first time that a single
by Knowles leaked before its inclusion on an upcoming album. Knowles responded to the leak on her official website, saying: "I want to thank all my fans for the positive response to the song, but I want to tell you that this is just a work in progress". About the leak, Love told MTV News:
By the album's release, the song's structure had been altered: the phrase "turn the lights on" had been repeated throughout the chorus, a third refrain had been added after the climax, and the name had been changed to its current title. "Broken-Hearted Girl
" was initially embarked as the sixth US and fourth worldwide single alongside the US-Only single "Ego
". However, at the last minute, its release was scrapped, and "Sweet Dreams" was released instead. Both tracks were taken from the Sasha Fierce disc, which contrasts with other joint-releases from this album where one track is taken from each disc. "Sweet Dreams" was first sent for mainstream
, and rhythmic
airplay on June 2, 2009 in the United States. Several dance remix
es of the song were later made available on August 17, 2009 in the United States. It was also released as a digital download
on July 13, 2009, as a CD single on July 17, 2009, and finally as a digital EP
on July 31, 2009 in Germany. "Sweet Dreams" was released as a CD single in Australia on July 24, 2009, and in the United Kingdom, where it was also available for purchase as a 12" Vinyl
as well as a digital download single on August 10, 2009. Additionally, the song was released throughout Europe on August 10, 2009 as a two-sided digital EP
.
-electropop song which incorporates influences from the classic 1980's funk
music. It is composed in an "aggressive and exciting" electronic pop arrangement, undulating electro rhythms, and a "swirling synth" groove. Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune
felt that the groove of the song matches with some "hip-hop
phrasing". "Sweet Dreams" also consists of an energetic beat
as well as spare snare kicks. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music Publishing, the song is written in the key of E minor
and it is set in common time
with a moderate groove tempo
of 130 beats per minute. Knowles' vocals span from the low note D4
to the high note F♯5.
According to Priya Elan of The Times
, the "disturbed and haunting" lyrics to the song describe a beautiful relationship, which the female protagonist believes could be a dream. In other words, the song lyrically conveys a dilemma where the protagonist is torn between whether her love is a "sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare". Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
commented that the song is "screechy" and that it forgoes "[Knowles'] usual emotional precision for a sort of ecstatic paranoia." James Montgomery of MTV News
noted that "Sweet Dreams" starts with an electronic bassline
that bears resemblance to that of Michael Jackson
's 'Beat It
' (1983) and he commented that the song is "adventurous". On the other hand, Nick Levine of Digital Spy
noted that the bassline, on which "Sweet Dream" is built, is similar to those of two other singles of Michael Jackson, being 'Thriller
' (1984) and 'Bad' (1987).
Knowles is heard echoing the phrase "Turn the lights on" before she begins to sing the first verse
. The "expansive chorus
" then starts with the line: "You could be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare [...]", which Bill Lamb of About.com
described as "lightly creepy in a good way." He also commented that the vocal performance of Knowles on "Sweet Dreams" possesses "an elegantly gliding tone" that perfectly maintains the tension in the lyrical arrangement of the song. Knowles often shifts from a lower range to an upper range while chanting the chorus lines. According to Lamb, she sometimes gives the impression that she is rapidly "switching to different levels of agitation in a breathless and yet controllable manner." Lamb also noted that this reminds listeners of Knowles' vocals on "Crazy in Love" (2003).
's previous songs. He also praised the instrumentals and Knowles' vocals which he described as "icy and cool, slippery like mercury [and] are nothing to scoff at either." He continued by stating that the single is another undeniable smash " [...] sort of unsettling, kind of crazy, totally unlike anything anyone else is doing right now (sorry Gaga
)". While reviewing I Am... Sasha Fierce, Jennifer Vineyard of the same publication, praised the "rock drive and slinky vocals" of Knowles and said that that only "'Sweet Dreams' seems 'fierce' — as Beyoncé (or is it Sasha?) dares the listener to dream of her, warning that it might be a 'beautiful nightmare.'" Bill Lamb of About.com
said that "Sweet Dreams" was bound to become another hit single from Knowles thanks to its synthesized electronic pop music, lyrics arrangement and the "self-assured vocals" of Knowles. He also noted the "stunning sense of control" and the rapidity with which Knowles delivers the chorus lines: "Each time she climbs into agitation here it is almost as if she takes a quick breath then settles herself back to a slightly less tense state. The expertise in the sound is breathtaking." Even though he praised the song, Lamb also said it lacks "that intangible element of pure magic".
Priya Elan of The Times
complimented the song's deep bassline and its lyrics which she described as being "thrilling". IGN Music
wrote that even though "Sweet Dreams is not a stellar track, it turns out be better than 'Diva
' (2009) and 'Radio
' (2009) because her vocals on the song are filled with emotion. Alex Denney of Dotmusic
said: "Only the club-flavoured 'Sweet Dreams' rivals 'Single Ladies
' for genuine spark and energy". Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork Media
said that the song sounds like a song Rihanna
would sing. This was echoed by Nick Levine of Digital Spy
who wrote on his critique of the album that the best song on the Sasha Fierce disc, is a "dark[ish] electropop track called 'Sweet Dreams', [which] actually sounds like the cousin of Rihanna's 'Disturbia
'". On a separate single review, he awarded the song a four-star rating out of five stars, commenting that "Sweet Dreams" has the ability to snare listeners with its "irresistible chorus hook" and thereafter, keeping them intrigued by placing "a hint of darkness". Vicki of BBC UK
complimented the vocal abilities of Knowles qualifying them as "beautiful and soft, yet strong and powerful". He also described the first chorus as "spine-tingling and having a thrilling impact". As a concluding sentence, he said that "Sweet Dreams" is Knowles"s most memorable and finest work since "Crazy In Love". Joey Guerra of Houston Chronicle
commented that "Sweet Dreams is an irresistible call to the dance floor." Darryl Sterdan of Jam!
gave a mixed review of the song comparing it to Michael Jackson's work and adding that "that is not necessarily a good thing."
ranked the song at number eight on his list of the Top 100 Pop Songs of 2009, and at number eighty-five on his list of Top 100 Pop Songs of the 2000s, writing: "'Sweet Dreams' is one of the most adventurous tracks from Beyonce's stellar album I Am...Sasha Fierce. She heads into heavy electronic pop territory delivering a memorable, slightly creepy, chorus." "Sweet Dreams" earned Knowles the 2009 Music MP3 Awards for "Best Female Vocal" (BFV Award) on November 15, 2009, and another award for "Best Costume in a Video (Female)" at the OVMA World Awards. "Sweet Dreams" was also nominated for "Best R&B/Urban Dance Track" at the 25th Annual International Dance Music Awards
held in 2010, but lost to "I Gotta Feeling
" of The Black Eyed Peas
, and was nominated for the "Viewers Choice Award" at the 2010 BET Awards
. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) recognized "Sweet Dreams" as one of the most performed songs of 2009 at the 27th ASCAP Pop Music Awards. On the occasion of Knowles' thirtieth birthday, Erika Ramirez and Jason Lipshutz of Billboard
placed the song at number 21 on their list of "Beyoncé's 30 Biggest Billboard Hits" and concluded that the electro-pop sound in the song, which was in contrast to her previous singles, showcased her range of talent.
in very early 2009 shortly after the album's release. "Sweet Dreams" debuted at number seventy-two on the US Billboard Hot 100
issue dated August 9, 2009. It peaked at number ten on two separate occasions in early November 2009. The song gave Knowles her thirteen top ten as a solo artist, in the 2000s, on the Billboard Hot 100. With the song's advance, she ties Ludacris
and T-Pain
for second-most top tens on the chart since 2000 while Knowles' husband, Jay-Z
, leads with 14 in that span. This is the third such-titled song to reach the Top 10 of the Hot 100, following "Sweet Dreams" by Air Supply
, in 1982, and Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
" by Eurythmics
, in 1983. The single had peaked at number 48 on the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip Hop Chart, making I Am... Sasha Fierce the first album of the 21st century to have seven entries on the chart ("Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "If I Were a Boy
", "Diva
", "Halo
", "Ego", "Sweet Dreams", and "Video Phone"). On September 2, 2010, "Sweet Dreams" also reached the top spot of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs, giving Knowles her eleventh number-one song on that chart and making I Am...Sasha Fierce opus yield a fourth number one song on the same chart following "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "Diva" and "Halo". At the same time, Knowles also tied with Kristine W
for second-most Hot Dance Club Songs toppers of the decade. The song has also peaked at number five for three consecutive weeks on the Billboard Pop Songs
in November 2009. "Sweet Dreams" was certified Gold on October 28, 2009,
and it was later certified Platinum on January 5, 2010 by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA). As at October 6, 2010, "Sweet Dreams" had sold 1,488,000 digital downloads in the United States only.
The single also performed well internationally. In the United Kingdom, it initially entered the UK Singles Chart
on July 5, 2009, at number 189, more than a month prior to its physical release. The following week, it soared to number 52, and it eventually continuously ascended the chart reaching a peak number five on August 9, 2009, (one day before its official release there) making it her sixth solo top five single. The song was last seen on the chart on January 17, 2010, after having spent 26 weeks in the top 100. In the week ending June 18, it was the most added song on Australian radio stations. On August 9 chart, "Sweet Dreams" rose from number nine to its peak of number two, becoming the fourth song from I Am... Sasha Fierce to peak inside the top five and the highest charting single from the album in Australia. It stayed within the top ten for nine consecutive weeks. The song was last seen on the chart on March 1, 2010, after having spent 38 weeks in the top 100. In New Zealand, the single debuted at number 39, and climbed to number one four weeks later, staying there for three consecutive weeks. "Sweet Dreams" has also been the number-one most added song on New Zealand Radio Airplay as from September 21, 2009 till November 2, 2009. The song debuted at number 17 on July 16, 2009, in Ireland, and quickly climbed to its peak position at number four after only four weeks on the chart. The single stayed in top ten for eight weeks and charted for nineteen weeks in the chart. In Norway, "Sweet Dreams" debuted at number 19 on September 1, 2009, being the highest debut of that week. The single kept on alternating between number 13 and number 15 for the next seven weeks. However, after eight weeks on the chart, the song eventually peaked at number six. On November 22, 2009, "Sweet Dreams" débuted at number 46 in the Spanish Singles Chart, but left the chart three weeks later after having initially set a peak at number 36. It managed to re-enter the chart on December 27, 2009, at number 42. On February 7, 2010, it moved from number 15 to its peak at number nine. It remained in the chart until the end of April 2010. In France, the song entered the download sales chart at number 45 and later peaking at number 30 in February 8, 2010 for two weeks.
's video for "Mercy
") and was shot in Brooklyn
, New York City
. This video is the second from the album to have complete color throughout; "Halo" was the first. "Sweet Dreams" and "Video Phone" extended remix with Lady Gaga were both mixed by Destiny's Child
/Beyoncé Pro Tools Engineer William "Vybe Chyle" Burke at Vybe Chyle Studios in Atlanta, Georgia
. On June 12, 2009, a behind-the-scenes video was released in which Knowles dance rehearsal was included. In this footage, Knowles was seen wearing all-gold costumes and doing some robotic movements. The video was not included on Above and Beyoncé – Video Collection & Dance Mixes as it was not finished by the time the CD/DVD collection was made. Instead, a "Making of Sweet Dreams" video was included on the remix
es and video album.
The music video was said to be a more "graphic" video than the others and its motive was said to be "take Sasha to the next level", as stated by Knowles in the B-roll footage of Above and Beyoncé – Video Collection & Dance Mixes. Portions of the "Sweet Dreams" music video were inspired by a video in which British designer Gareth Pugh
presented his autumn/winter 2009 show. Concerning the video, Knowles said: "It's basically saying that this relationship is so wonderful that it scares me... is it a sweet dream or beautiful nightmare?" The golden robot suit that Knowles wears in the video, is to symbolize her Sasha Fierce alter-ego
. The video premiered on July 9, 2009, on MTV.
outfit, and her two back-up dancers (Saidah Fishenden and Ashley Everett) appear as the music begins. The cut after the desert sequence starts by showing Knowles inscribed with a circle and square just like in Leonardo da Vinci
's Vitruvian Man
, symbolizing Knowles' ideal human proportions. On the first chorus, she wears a silver one shouldered minidress. The second chorus shows Knowles in another silver ensemble, a lined body suit while smashing mirrors. During the bridge, the video fades to black and white and Knowles appears in a gold robot suit (the outfit in Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi
" video was later compared to Knowles dress) designed by French fashion designer Thierry Mugler
, as well as gold and diamond nail rings valued at $36,000 by Bijules designer Jules Kim. Then, the gold outfit is reused, but this time in color. Knowles says "Turn the lights out" and the video ends.
praised the video: "Watching the accompanying video is necessary for the full impact of 'Sweet Dreams'. By three minutes into the clip when she appears in a gold metallic outfit, it's clear we are watching another Beyoncé classic. She is at the top of her form as an artist and taking chances that often only the hungriest of artists take". James Montgomery of MTV News
said that the video is "An eye-popping, herky-jerky, high-fashion video... So, once again, we get Beyoncé popping her pelvis in ways never imagined. We get Beyoncé strutting with her two doppelgängers. And we get Beyoncé wearing about a million flashy, asymmetrical costumes. She expands on her burgeoning robot fetish (which I think is supposed to symbolize her Sasha Fierce alter-ego), flashes the crazy eyes and contorts her body in downright unsettling ways. All of which is to say that 'Sweet Dreams' is just like every amazingly crazy Beyoncé video from the past three years, which — to extend the point — also means that it's pretty great".
Vicki of BBC
didn't like the first 30 seconds of the video, which he described as "the dark, horror-type music, the pumping heartbeat, the equally spooky lullaby, the screech of an electric guitar", gave him the impression that he was watching "some 80s magician, with a Knowles soundtrack". However, he complimented the rest of the video saying that "things [thankfully] move away from the Hallowe'en cheese and into familiar Beyoncé territory (right from the fact it's proper '80s pop through to the video essentially being 'Single Ladies' with Beyoncé and 2 dancers)... ". As a concluding sentence, he added that the video might not be forever remembered and hailed as Beyoncé's finest and more memorable work, but it is one of the best music videos he has seen from her since "Crazy In Love". Nick Levine of Digital Spy
compared the dancing part in the video with the "'Single Ladies' hoofers". The music video stayed at number one for a number of weeks on the UK TV Airplay Chart in August and September 2009.
The commercial version of the video ranked at number 13 on BET
's Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2009 countdown.
on September 13. However, the performance was changed to "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"; she only performed the bridge from "Sweet Dreams" at the beginning of her performance, before switching to "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". She also performed "Sweet Dreams" at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards on November 5, 2009. At the final of a show of her I Am... Tour on November 2009, Knowles sang the full version of "Sweet Dreams" on the B-Stage for the first time, instead of a snippet or an acoustic version. She was wearing a glittery silver dress. As she sung, animated graphics of turntables, faders, and other club gear throbbed behind her as well as her musicians. Knowles also performed the song live at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival
on June 26, 2011. During the performance she mixed the song with "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
" by the British pop music duo Eurythmics
. The song was not a part of her set list on her world tour, I Am... Tour. "Sweet Dreams" was included on her CD
/DVD
live albums I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas
(2009). The song is used in the commercial Knowles did for Crystal Geyser
; she dances and drinks water while the song is played in the background.
An unofficial remix, featuring Lil Wayne
and Nicki Minaj
, leaked on some websites on March 9, 2010 and was included on Wayne's mixtape No Ceilings
. The Big Pink
, an electro-rock
duo from London
, England
, comprising multi-instrumentalists Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell covered "Sweet Dreams" in a live session for BBC
’s Radio 1 in November 2009. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
commented that the version they sang, had a "disarmingly flat affect, delivering it as the ramble of a neurotic." On November 1, 2010, a video surfaced online showing American professional basketball
player, Shaquille O'Neal
Halloween, dressed up as his female alter-ego, Shaquita for Halloween. He was wearing a wig, fake breasts and a tight shimmery purple top, giving an enthusiastic lip-synch
ing performance of Beyoncé's "Sweet Dreams." As he mouthed the words, he is seen shaking his arms in a passionate pantomime to the track. The issue was covered by both Billboard
magazine and Popeater
among others.
.
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
singer Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). Originally titled "Beautiful Nightmare", the song leaked in March 2008, eight months prior to the album's release. Written and produced by Knowles, James Scheffer
Jim Jonsin
James Scheffer, better known by his professional name, Jim Jonsin, is an American Grammy award winning record producer, songwriter, record executive, and entrepreneur...
, Wayne Wilkins
Wayne Wilkins
Wayne Wilkins is a classically trained pianist, Record producer, songwriter, record engineer, and record mixer born in the southeast London neighborhood of Croydon...
, and Rico Love
Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher’s "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy ”, Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams"...
, the track was released as the album's sixth single. It was sent to the Top 40 and rhythmic contemporary radios on June 2, 2009. Written in the key of E minor
E minor
E minor is a minor scale based on the note E. The E natural minor scale consists of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. The E harmonic minor scale contains the natural 7, D, rather than the flatted 7, D – to align with the major dominant chord, B7 .Its key signature has one sharp, F .Its...
and set in common time
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
with a moderate groove tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 130 beats per minute, "Sweet Dreams", lyrically, describes a beautiful relationship, which the singer believes could be a dream.
"Sweet Dreams" received widespread critical acclaim for its "spark", "energy", "dark tone" and "electropop sound", with some critics noting its aural similarities to Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's "Beat It
Beat It
"Beat It" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Michael Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones . It is the third single from the singer's sixth solo album, Thriller . Eddie Van Halen was hired to add the song's distinctive overdriven guitar solo, but was prevented by his...
". "Sweet Dreams" gained popularity for its electropop sound, which is in contrast to her earlier R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
, urban
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
, and funk-tinged
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
releases. The song was nominated for the "Viewers Choice Award
BET Award for Viewer's Choice
The Viewer's Choice Award is determined by the fans. Since the 1st Annual BET Awards, no female Artist has won this category except for Rihanna. As of 2010, B2K, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne have won 2 awards each, the most any artist has won in this category....
" at the 2010 BET Awards
BET Awards
The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
. The single topped the New Zealand Singles Chart. It peaked inside the top five in Australia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Russia, Slovakia and the United Kingdom. The song went on to be certified Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA), the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
(RIANZ) and the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA).
The music video was directed by Adria Petty and shot in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York. The golden robot suit that Knowles wears, was designed by French fashion designer Thierry Mugler
Thierry Mugler
Thierry Mugler is a French fashion designer and creator of several perfumes.-Childhood:Mugler was born in Strasbourg, France on 21 December 1948. His passion led him to focus more on drawing than on school and at the age of 9, he began to study classical dance...
. The video was well-received by critics after its premiere on July 9, 2009. "Sweet Dreams" was promoted by Knowles with live performances during her world tour including her live performance at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards
MTV Europe Music Awards 2009
The MTV Europe Music Awards 2009 took place in Berlin, Germany at the O2 World and in front of the Brandenburg Gate. The award show was presented by Katy Perry. Nominations were officially announced on September 21, 2009. This is the fourth time that the MTV Europe Music Awards were hosted in...
on November 5, 2009. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) recognized "Sweet Dreams" as one of the most performed songs of 2009 at the 27th ASCAP Pop Music Awards.
Background and release
"Sweet Dreams" (originally, "Beautiful Nightmare") was one of the first songs composed for the album I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). It was written and produced by Knowles, Jim JonsinJim Jonsin
James Scheffer, better known by his professional name, Jim Jonsin, is an American Grammy award winning record producer, songwriter, record executive, and entrepreneur...
, Wayne Wilkins
Wayne Wilkins
Wayne Wilkins is a classically trained pianist, Record producer, songwriter, record engineer, and record mixer born in the southeast London neighborhood of Croydon...
and Rico Love
Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher’s "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy ”, Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams"...
. Concerning the production of the song, Love told: "[...] that was the experience of a lifetime working with one of the greatest vocalists
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
of all time." Knowles recorded the song in an hour at the South Beat Studios in Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Love revealed to MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
that when Knowles came into the studio, she was not prepared to record. However, when she heard a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of the song, she immediately said: "Let's do it." Knowles liked Love's background vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
in the hook
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
and retained them. The song leaked
Internet leak
An Internet leak occurs when a party's confidential information is released to the public on the Internet. Various types of information and data can be, and have been, "leaked" to the Internet, the most common being personal information, computer software and source code, and artistic works such...
the day after it was recorded in March 2008, that was, eight months before the album's release. It marked the first time that a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by Knowles leaked before its inclusion on an upcoming album. Knowles responded to the leak on her official website, saying: "I want to thank all my fans for the positive response to the song, but I want to tell you that this is just a work in progress". About the leak, Love told MTV News:
I was more concerned that she would feel that we did it. A lot of times producers or songwriters leak records because they feel if you put the song out there it would go [on to become a hit]. Usually a leak that far in advance of an album release puts the song in serious jeopardy of being excluded from the final track list. It was frustrating. I felt like you work hard to get in the studio to work with Beyoncé. [But] I was blessed [...] that song turned out [to] have nine lives.
By the album's release, the song's structure had been altered: the phrase "turn the lights on" had been repeated throughout the chorus, a third refrain had been added after the climax, and the name had been changed to its current title. "Broken-Hearted Girl
Broken-Hearted Girl
"Broken-Hearted Girl" is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles. It was written by Knowles, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen, and was produced by Knowles and Stargate for Knowles' third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce...
" was initially embarked as the sixth US and fourth worldwide single alongside the US-Only single "Ego
Ego (Beyoncé Knowles song)
"Ego" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles for the deluxe edition of her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce . The song was composed by Elvis Williams, Harold Lilly, and Knowles. "Ego" was officially remixed with additional vocals from hip hop artist, Kanye West...
". However, at the last minute, its release was scrapped, and "Sweet Dreams" was released instead. Both tracks were taken from the Sasha Fierce disc, which contrasts with other joint-releases from this album where one track is taken from each disc. "Sweet Dreams" was first sent for mainstream
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
, and rhythmic
Rhythmic Contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may...
airplay on June 2, 2009 in the United States. Several dance remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
es of the song were later made available on August 17, 2009 in the United States. It was also released as a digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
on July 13, 2009, as a CD single on July 17, 2009, and finally as a digital EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
on July 31, 2009 in Germany. "Sweet Dreams" was released as a CD single in Australia on July 24, 2009, and in the United Kingdom, where it was also available for purchase as a 12" Vinyl
12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
as well as a digital download single on August 10, 2009. Additionally, the song was released throughout Europe on August 10, 2009 as a two-sided digital EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
.
Composition
"Sweet Dreams" is an R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
-electropop song which incorporates influences from the classic 1980's funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
music. It is composed in an "aggressive and exciting" electronic pop arrangement, undulating electro rhythms, and a "swirling synth" groove. Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
felt that the groove of the song matches with some "hip-hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
phrasing". "Sweet Dreams" also consists of an energetic beat
Beat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
as well as spare snare kicks. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music Publishing, the song is written in the key of E minor
E minor
E minor is a minor scale based on the note E. The E natural minor scale consists of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. The E harmonic minor scale contains the natural 7, D, rather than the flatted 7, D – to align with the major dominant chord, B7 .Its key signature has one sharp, F .Its...
and it is set in common time
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
with a moderate groove tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 130 beats per minute. Knowles' vocals span from the low note D4
D (musical note)
D is a musical note a whole tone above C, and is known as Re within the solfege system.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of middle D is approximately 293.665 Hz. See pitch for a discussion of historical variations in...
to the high note F♯5.
According to Priya Elan of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, the "disturbed and haunting" lyrics to the song describe a beautiful relationship, which the female protagonist believes could be a dream. In other words, the song lyrically conveys a dilemma where the protagonist is torn between whether her love is a "sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare". Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
commented that the song is "screechy" and that it forgoes "[Knowles'] usual emotional precision for a sort of ecstatic paranoia." James Montgomery of MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
noted that "Sweet Dreams" starts with an electronic bassline
Bassline
A bassline is the term used in many styles of popular music, such as jazz, blues, funk, dub and electronic music for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played by a rhythm section instrument such as the electric bass, double bass, tuba or keyboard...
that bears resemblance to that of Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's 'Beat It
Beat It
"Beat It" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Michael Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones . It is the third single from the singer's sixth solo album, Thriller . Eddie Van Halen was hired to add the song's distinctive overdriven guitar solo, but was prevented by his...
' (1983) and he commented that the song is "adventurous". On the other hand, Nick Levine of Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
noted that the bassline, on which "Sweet Dream" is built, is similar to those of two other singles of Michael Jackson, being 'Thriller
Thriller (song)
"Thriller" is a song recorded by American recording artist Michael Jackson, composed by Rod Temperton, and produced by Quincy Jones. It is the seventh and final single from his sixth studio album Thriller. It was released on January 23, 1984 by Epic Records...
' (1984) and 'Bad' (1987).
Knowles is heard echoing the phrase "Turn the lights on" before she begins to sing the first verse
Song structure (popular music)
The structures or musical forms of songs in popular music are typically sectional, repeating forms, such as strophic form. Other common forms include thirty-two-bar form, verse-chorus form, and the twelve bar blues...
. The "expansive chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
" then starts with the line: "You could be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare [...]", which Bill Lamb of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
described as "lightly creepy in a good way." He also commented that the vocal performance of Knowles on "Sweet Dreams" possesses "an elegantly gliding tone" that perfectly maintains the tension in the lyrical arrangement of the song. Knowles often shifts from a lower range to an upper range while chanting the chorus lines. According to Lamb, she sometimes gives the impression that she is rapidly "switching to different levels of agitation in a breathless and yet controllable manner." Lamb also noted that this reminds listeners of Knowles' vocals on "Crazy in Love" (2003).
Critical reception
"Sweet Dreams" was critically lauded, with critics praising its dark tone and its electropop sound, which was different from Knowles' previous work. James Montgomery of MTV News called the song "great", complimenting the fact that the music of the "Sweet Dreams" bears influences from Michael JacksonMichael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's previous songs. He also praised the instrumentals and Knowles' vocals which he described as "icy and cool, slippery like mercury [and] are nothing to scoff at either." He continued by stating that the single is another undeniable smash " [...] sort of unsettling, kind of crazy, totally unlike anything anyone else is doing right now (sorry Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
)". While reviewing I Am... Sasha Fierce, Jennifer Vineyard of the same publication, praised the "rock drive and slinky vocals" of Knowles and said that that only "'Sweet Dreams' seems 'fierce' — as Beyoncé (or is it Sasha?) dares the listener to dream of her, warning that it might be a 'beautiful nightmare.'" Bill Lamb of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
said that "Sweet Dreams" was bound to become another hit single from Knowles thanks to its synthesized electronic pop music, lyrics arrangement and the "self-assured vocals" of Knowles. He also noted the "stunning sense of control" and the rapidity with which Knowles delivers the chorus lines: "Each time she climbs into agitation here it is almost as if she takes a quick breath then settles herself back to a slightly less tense state. The expertise in the sound is breathtaking." Even though he praised the song, Lamb also said it lacks "that intangible element of pure magic".
Priya Elan of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
complimented the song's deep bassline and its lyrics which she described as being "thrilling". IGN Music
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
wrote that even though "Sweet Dreams is not a stellar track, it turns out be better than 'Diva
Diva (Beyoncé Knowles song)
"Diva" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. The song was written and produced by Shondrae "Bangladesh" Crawford, Sean Garrett, and Knowles for her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce . It was released as the album's third overall single in the United States alongside the third...
' (2009) and 'Radio
Radio (Beyoncé Knowles song)
It just seems like a feel-good record but when you really listen to the lyrics, it's about me growing up. In my household, I didn't go all of the parties and I didn't do all the things that a lot of the other teenage girls did because I was so in love with my radio and my music...
' (2009) because her vocals on the song are filled with emotion. Alex Denney of Dotmusic
Dotmusic
Dotmusic was a music website that existed as a standalone website from June 1995 to December 2003. Initially intended as the web complement to the UK music industry trade magazine Music Week, the site was relaunched in December 1998 as a website for music fans.In addition to music news, reviews,...
said: "Only the club-flavoured 'Sweet Dreams' rivals 'Single Ladies
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
"Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the...
' for genuine spark and energy". Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
said that the song sounds like a song Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
would sing. This was echoed by Nick Levine of Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
who wrote on his critique of the album that the best song on the Sasha Fierce disc, is a "dark[ish] electropop track called 'Sweet Dreams', [which] actually sounds like the cousin of Rihanna's 'Disturbia
Disturbia (song)
"Disturbia" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from the re-release, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded , of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad . The song was released as the third single from the reloaded edition of the album, and seventh overall...
'". On a separate single review, he awarded the song a four-star rating out of five stars, commenting that "Sweet Dreams" has the ability to snare listeners with its "irresistible chorus hook" and thereafter, keeping them intrigued by placing "a hint of darkness". Vicki of BBC UK
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
complimented the vocal abilities of Knowles qualifying them as "beautiful and soft, yet strong and powerful". He also described the first chorus as "spine-tingling and having a thrilling impact". As a concluding sentence, he said that "Sweet Dreams" is Knowles"s most memorable and finest work since "Crazy In Love". Joey Guerra of Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
commented that "Sweet Dreams is an irresistible call to the dance floor." Darryl Sterdan of Jam!
Jam!
Jam! is a Canadian website, which covers entertainment news. It is part of the CANOE online portal, owned and operated by Quebecor through its Sun Media division....
gave a mixed review of the song comparing it to Michael Jackson's work and adding that "that is not necessarily a good thing."
Recognition and accolades
Bill Lamb of About.comAbout.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
ranked the song at number eight on his list of the Top 100 Pop Songs of 2009, and at number eighty-five on his list of Top 100 Pop Songs of the 2000s, writing: "'Sweet Dreams' is one of the most adventurous tracks from Beyonce's stellar album I Am...Sasha Fierce. She heads into heavy electronic pop territory delivering a memorable, slightly creepy, chorus." "Sweet Dreams" earned Knowles the 2009 Music MP3 Awards for "Best Female Vocal" (BFV Award) on November 15, 2009, and another award for "Best Costume in a Video (Female)" at the OVMA World Awards. "Sweet Dreams" was also nominated for "Best R&B/Urban Dance Track" at the 25th Annual International Dance Music Awards
Winter Music Conference
The Winter Music Conference is a weeklong electronic music conference, held every March since the mid-1980s in Miami, Florida, United States. Venues are hosted primarily in Downtown Miami and Miami's South Beach...
held in 2010, but lost to "I Gotta Feeling
I Gotta Feeling
"I Gotta Feeling" is the second single from The Black Eyed Peas' fifth studio album The E.N.D., produced by the French DJ David Guetta. The song was released on May 21, 2009 and debuted at number two on the Canadian and Billboard Hot 100 on the week of June 27, 2009, behind the group's "Boom Boom...
" of The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
, and was nominated for the "Viewers Choice Award" at the 2010 BET Awards
BET Awards
The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) recognized "Sweet Dreams" as one of the most performed songs of 2009 at the 27th ASCAP Pop Music Awards. On the occasion of Knowles' thirtieth birthday, Erika Ramirez and Jason Lipshutz of Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
placed the song at number 21 on their list of "Beyoncé's 30 Biggest Billboard Hits" and concluded that the electro-pop sound in the song, which was in contrast to her previous singles, showcased her range of talent.
Chart performance
Under its prior title "Beautiful Nightmare", the song gained some attention in the United States, appearing at number 45 on Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs, and at number 57 on Billboard Pop 100 AirplayPop 100 Airplay
The Pop 100 Airplay was a chart created in 2005 and released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It measured mainstream radio airplay, and was one of the three component charts, along with the Hot 100 Singles Sales and Hot Digital Songs charts, that determined the chart positions of singles...
in very early 2009 shortly after the album's release. "Sweet Dreams" debuted at number seventy-two on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
issue dated August 9, 2009. It peaked at number ten on two separate occasions in early November 2009. The song gave Knowles her thirteen top ten as a solo artist, in the 2000s, on the Billboard Hot 100. With the song's advance, she ties Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
and T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
for second-most top tens on the chart since 2000 while Knowles' husband, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, leads with 14 in that span. This is the third such-titled song to reach the Top 10 of the Hot 100, following "Sweet Dreams" by Air Supply
Air Supply
Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s...
, in 1982, and Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
-Personnel:*Annie Lennox – vocals, keyboards, synthesisers, flute*David A. Stewart – guitar, keyboards, synthesisers, programming, backing vocals-Additional personnel:*Robert Crash - Guitar/ E-Drums/ Synth/ Robotic vocals...
" by Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
, in 1983. The single had peaked at number 48 on the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip Hop Chart, making I Am... Sasha Fierce the first album of the 21st century to have seven entries on the chart ("Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "If I Were a Boy
If I Were a Boy
"If I Were a Boy" is a pop song recorded by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. It was composed by Toby Gad and BC Jean. Jean initially recorded her version of the song which was rejected by Jean's record company. Knowles then recorded a new version for her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce...
", "Diva
Diva (Beyoncé Knowles song)
"Diva" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. The song was written and produced by Shondrae "Bangladesh" Crawford, Sean Garrett, and Knowles for her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce . It was released as the album's third overall single in the United States alongside the third...
", "Halo
Halo (Beyoncé Knowles song)
"Halo" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles for her third studio album I Am... Sasha Fierce . Columbia Records released the song as the fourth single of the album, to mainstream radio in the United States on January 20, 2009. It was composed by Ryan Tedder, Evan Bogart, and...
", "Ego", "Sweet Dreams", and "Video Phone"). On September 2, 2010, "Sweet Dreams" also reached the top spot of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs, giving Knowles her eleventh number-one song on that chart and making I Am...Sasha Fierce opus yield a fourth number one song on the same chart following "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "Diva" and "Halo". At the same time, Knowles also tied with Kristine W
Kristine W
Kristine W, born Kristine Weitz, is an American singer-songwriter. She has released seven albums, three of them through major labels, plus an early recording she sells to fans through her website...
for second-most Hot Dance Club Songs toppers of the decade. The song has also peaked at number five for three consecutive weeks on the Billboard Pop Songs
Mainstream Top 40 (Pop Songs)
The Mainstream Top 40 is an airplay chart from Billboard magazine, and is also known as Pop Songs on billboard.com. It was often mistaken for and confused with the now discontinued Pop 100 Airplay chart...
in November 2009. "Sweet Dreams" was certified Gold on October 28, 2009,
and it was later certified Platinum on January 5, 2010 by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA). As at October 6, 2010, "Sweet Dreams" had sold 1,488,000 digital downloads in the United States only.
The single also performed well internationally. In the United Kingdom, it initially entered the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
on July 5, 2009, at number 189, more than a month prior to its physical release. The following week, it soared to number 52, and it eventually continuously ascended the chart reaching a peak number five on August 9, 2009, (one day before its official release there) making it her sixth solo top five single. The song was last seen on the chart on January 17, 2010, after having spent 26 weeks in the top 100. In the week ending June 18, it was the most added song on Australian radio stations. On August 9 chart, "Sweet Dreams" rose from number nine to its peak of number two, becoming the fourth song from I Am... Sasha Fierce to peak inside the top five and the highest charting single from the album in Australia. It stayed within the top ten for nine consecutive weeks. The song was last seen on the chart on March 1, 2010, after having spent 38 weeks in the top 100. In New Zealand, the single debuted at number 39, and climbed to number one four weeks later, staying there for three consecutive weeks. "Sweet Dreams" has also been the number-one most added song on New Zealand Radio Airplay as from September 21, 2009 till November 2, 2009. The song debuted at number 17 on July 16, 2009, in Ireland, and quickly climbed to its peak position at number four after only four weeks on the chart. The single stayed in top ten for eight weeks and charted for nineteen weeks in the chart. In Norway, "Sweet Dreams" debuted at number 19 on September 1, 2009, being the highest debut of that week. The single kept on alternating between number 13 and number 15 for the next seven weeks. However, after eight weeks on the chart, the song eventually peaked at number six. On November 22, 2009, "Sweet Dreams" débuted at number 46 in the Spanish Singles Chart, but left the chart three weeks later after having initially set a peak at number 36. It managed to re-enter the chart on December 27, 2009, at number 42. On February 7, 2010, it moved from number 15 to its peak at number nine. It remained in the chart until the end of April 2010. In France, the song entered the download sales chart at number 45 and later peaking at number 30 in February 8, 2010 for two weeks.
Background and concept
The music video was directed by Adria Petty (who also directed DuffyDuffy (singer)
Aimée Ann Duffy , known as Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold...
's video for "Mercy
Mercy (song)
"Mercy" is a soul song performed by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released as the second single from her debut album, Rockferry . Co-written by Duffy and Steve Booker and produced by Booker, it was released over 2008 worldwide to critical acclaim and unprecedented chart success...
") and was shot in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. This video is the second from the album to have complete color throughout; "Halo" was the first. "Sweet Dreams" and "Video Phone" extended remix with Lady Gaga were both mixed by Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
/Beyoncé Pro Tools Engineer William "Vybe Chyle" Burke at Vybe Chyle Studios in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. On June 12, 2009, a behind-the-scenes video was released in which Knowles dance rehearsal was included. In this footage, Knowles was seen wearing all-gold costumes and doing some robotic movements. The video was not included on Above and Beyoncé – Video Collection & Dance Mixes as it was not finished by the time the CD/DVD collection was made. Instead, a "Making of Sweet Dreams" video was included on the remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
es and video album.
The music video was said to be a more "graphic" video than the others and its motive was said to be "take Sasha to the next level", as stated by Knowles in the B-roll footage of Above and Beyoncé – Video Collection & Dance Mixes. Portions of the "Sweet Dreams" music video were inspired by a video in which British designer Gareth Pugh
Gareth Pugh
Gareth Pugh is an English fashion designer. He currently lives and works in Paris.-Career:At 14, Pugh began working as a costume designer for the English National Youth Theatre. He started his fashion education at City of Sunderland College and finished his degree in Fashion Design at Central...
presented his autumn/winter 2009 show. Concerning the video, Knowles said: "It's basically saying that this relationship is so wonderful that it scares me... is it a sweet dream or beautiful nightmare?" The golden robot suit that Knowles wears in the video, is to symbolize her Sasha Fierce alter-ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
. The video premiered on July 9, 2009, on MTV.
Synopsis
The video opens with Knowles tossing and turning in her bed. As she tries to stay asleep, Brahms's Lullaby plays softly in the background. She then levitates off her bed as her dream unfolds. In her dream Knowles is transported to a desert in a black Roberto CavalliRoberto Cavalli
Roberto Cavalli is an Italian fashion designer from Florence.-Biography:Roberto Cavalli was born in Florence, Tuscany. His grandfather, Giuseppe Rossi, was a member of the Macchiaioli Movement, whose work is exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery. Cavalli decided to enroll at the local Art Institute,...
outfit, and her two back-up dancers (Saidah Fishenden and Ashley Everett) appear as the music begins. The cut after the desert sequence starts by showing Knowles inscribed with a circle and square just like in Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
's Vitruvian Man
Vitruvian Man
The Vitruvian Man is a world-renowned drawing created by Leonardo da Vinci circa 1487. It is accompanied by notes based on the work of the famed architect, Vitruvius. The drawing, which is in pen and ink on paper, depicts a male figure in two superimposed positions with his arms and legs apart and...
, symbolizing Knowles' ideal human proportions. On the first chorus, she wears a silver one shouldered minidress. The second chorus shows Knowles in another silver ensemble, a lined body suit while smashing mirrors. During the bridge, the video fades to black and white and Knowles appears in a gold robot suit (the outfit in Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi
Paparazzi (Lady Gaga song)
"Paparazzi" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga. It was released as the final single from her debut album The Fame . Written by Rob Fusari and Gaga, the song portrays Gaga's struggles in her quest for fame, as well as balancing success and love...
" video was later compared to Knowles dress) designed by French fashion designer Thierry Mugler
Thierry Mugler
Thierry Mugler is a French fashion designer and creator of several perfumes.-Childhood:Mugler was born in Strasbourg, France on 21 December 1948. His passion led him to focus more on drawing than on school and at the age of 9, he began to study classical dance...
, as well as gold and diamond nail rings valued at $36,000 by Bijules designer Jules Kim. Then, the gold outfit is reused, but this time in color. Knowles says "Turn the lights out" and the video ends.
Reception
Bill Lamb of About.comAbout.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
praised the video: "Watching the accompanying video is necessary for the full impact of 'Sweet Dreams'. By three minutes into the clip when she appears in a gold metallic outfit, it's clear we are watching another Beyoncé classic. She is at the top of her form as an artist and taking chances that often only the hungriest of artists take". James Montgomery of MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
said that the video is "An eye-popping, herky-jerky, high-fashion video... So, once again, we get Beyoncé popping her pelvis in ways never imagined. We get Beyoncé strutting with her two doppelgängers. And we get Beyoncé wearing about a million flashy, asymmetrical costumes. She expands on her burgeoning robot fetish (which I think is supposed to symbolize her Sasha Fierce alter-ego), flashes the crazy eyes and contorts her body in downright unsettling ways. All of which is to say that 'Sweet Dreams' is just like every amazingly crazy Beyoncé video from the past three years, which — to extend the point — also means that it's pretty great".
Vicki of BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
didn't like the first 30 seconds of the video, which he described as "the dark, horror-type music, the pumping heartbeat, the equally spooky lullaby, the screech of an electric guitar", gave him the impression that he was watching "some 80s magician, with a Knowles soundtrack". However, he complimented the rest of the video saying that "things [thankfully] move away from the Hallowe'en cheese and into familiar Beyoncé territory (right from the fact it's proper '80s pop through to the video essentially being 'Single Ladies' with Beyoncé and 2 dancers)... ". As a concluding sentence, he added that the video might not be forever remembered and hailed as Beyoncé's finest and more memorable work, but it is one of the best music videos he has seen from her since "Crazy In Love". Nick Levine of Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
compared the dancing part in the video with the "'Single Ladies' hoofers". The music video stayed at number one for a number of weeks on the UK TV Airplay Chart in August and September 2009.
The commercial version of the video ranked at number 13 on BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
's Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2009 countdown.
Live performances and covers
Knowles was due to perform the song at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards2009 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 13, 2009, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, honoring the best music videos from June 19, 2008, to June 29, 2009. Comedian Russell Brand hosted the event for the second time in a row. The awards were held a few months after Michael...
on September 13. However, the performance was changed to "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"; she only performed the bridge from "Sweet Dreams" at the beginning of her performance, before switching to "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". She also performed "Sweet Dreams" at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards on November 5, 2009. At the final of a show of her I Am... Tour on November 2009, Knowles sang the full version of "Sweet Dreams" on the B-Stage for the first time, instead of a snippet or an acoustic version. She was wearing a glittery silver dress. As she sung, animated graphics of turntables, faders, and other club gear throbbed behind her as well as her musicians. Knowles also performed the song live at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival 2011
The 2011 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts was held from 22–26 June 2011. Tickets for the festival went on sale from 9 am on Sunday 3 October 2010, over 37 weeks before the festival was set to begin, with a deposit of £50 being paid, while the whole cost of a ticket is £195...
on June 26, 2011. During the performance she mixed the song with "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
-Personnel:*Annie Lennox – vocals, keyboards, synthesisers, flute*David A. Stewart – guitar, keyboards, synthesisers, programming, backing vocals-Additional personnel:*Robert Crash - Guitar/ E-Drums/ Synth/ Robotic vocals...
" by the British pop music duo Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
. The song was not a part of her set list on her world tour, I Am... Tour. "Sweet Dreams" was included on her CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
/DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
live albums I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas
I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas
I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas is a live CD/DVD by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. It was shot at the Encore Theater, Las Vegas, on August 2, 2009 during a stint of her worldwide I Am… Tour...
(2009). The song is used in the commercial Knowles did for Crystal Geyser
Crystal Geyser
Crystal Geyser is located on the east bank of the Green River approximately 4.5 miles downstream from Green River, Utah. It is a rare example of a cold water carbon dioxide driven geyser; geothermal activity does not play a role in the activity of the geyser...
; she dances and drinks water while the song is played in the background.
An unofficial remix, featuring Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
and Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
, leaked on some websites on March 9, 2010 and was included on Wayne's mixtape No Ceilings
No Ceilings
No Ceilings is a mixtape by rap artist Lil Wayne. It was scheduled to be released on October 31, 2009, but was leaked before the official date. No Ceilings was officially released on October 31 , with 4 additional tracks. The mixtape is available as a free and legal download...
. The Big Pink
The Big Pink
The Big Pink is an English electro-rock duo comprising multi-instrumentalists Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell. The duo signed to the 4AD label in 2009, and won the prestigious NME Philip Hall Radar Award for best new act...
, an electro-rock
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
duo from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, comprising multi-instrumentalists Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell covered "Sweet Dreams" in a live session for BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
’s Radio 1 in November 2009. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
commented that the version they sang, had a "disarmingly flat affect, delivering it as the ramble of a neurotic." On November 1, 2010, a video surfaced online showing American professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
Halloween, dressed up as his female alter-ego, Shaquita for Halloween. He was wearing a wig, fake breasts and a tight shimmery purple top, giving an enthusiastic lip-synch
Lip sync
Lip sync, lip-sync, lip-synch is a technical term for matching lip movements with sung or spoken vocals...
ing performance of Beyoncé's "Sweet Dreams." As he mouthed the words, he is seen shaking his arms in a passionate pantomime to the track. The issue was covered by both Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine and Popeater
Popeater
PopEater.com was an American gossip news web site owned by AOL Television. It was one of the most popular gossip blogs in America, ranking in the top 20s on Technorati's Top 100 and ranks #28 on Pikimal. On 11 July 2011, Arianna Huffington and PopEater co-announced PopEater had "a new home" at...
among others.
Track listing
- US Ego/Sweet Dreams Singles and Dance Mixes
- "Ego" – 3:57
- "Ego" (DJ Escape & Johnny Vicious Club Remix) – 8:22
- "Ego" (Slang "Big Ego" Club Remix) – 6:18
- "Sweet Dreams" – 3:29
- "Sweet Dreams" (OK DAC Club Remix) – 5:14
- "Sweet Dreams" (Karmatronic Club Remix) – 6:36
- US Sweet Dreams Digital Remixes
- "Sweet Dreams" (DJ Escape & Tony Coluccio Club Remix) – 8:38
- "Sweet Dreams" (DJ Escape & Tony Coluccio Dub Remix) – 7:38
- "Sweet Dreams" (Groove Police Club Remix) – 7:04
- "Sweet Dreams" (Groove Police Dub Remix) – 6:49
- "Sweet Dreams" (Jamie J Sanchez Club Remix) – 6:39
- "Sweet Dreams" (Jamie J Sanchez Dub Remix) – 7:39
- "Sweet Dreams" (Karmatronic Club Remix) – 6:35
- "Sweet Dreams" (Maurice's NuSoul Club Remix) – 7:09
- "Sweet Dreams" (Maurice's DubSoul Remix) – 7:08
- "Sweet Dreams" (Smash Mode Club Remix) – 7:15
- Germany Digital EP
- "Sweet Dreams" – 3:29
- "Sweet Dreams" (Groove Police Remix – Radio Edit) – 3:10
- "Ego" – 3:57
- "Ego" (Remix) feat. Kanye WestKanye WestKanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
– 4:43 - "Sweet Dreams" (Video) – 4:00
- "Ego" (Remix) feat. Kanye West (Video) – 4:52
- UK 12" Vinyl
- "Sweet Dreams" – 3:28
- "Sweet Dreams" (Dave Spoon Remix) – 7:07
- "Sweet Dreams" (Steve Pitron & Max Sanna Club Remix) – 7:38
- "Sweet Dreams" (Oli Collins & Fred Portelli Remix) – 5:38
- UK Download Single
- "Sweet Dreams" – 3:28
- Europe Single EP 1
- "Sweet Dreams" – 3:27
- "Sweet Dreams" (Medicin Club Remix) – 6:18
- "Sweet Dreams" (Groove Police Club Remix) – 7:05
- "Sweet Dreams" (Ok Dac Club Remix) – 5:11
- "Sweet Dreams" (DJ Escape & Tony Coluccio Club Remix) – 8:39
- "Sweet Dreams" (Maurice's NuSoul Club Remix) – 7:09
- Europe Single EP 2
- "Sweet Dreams" – 3:28
- "Sweet Dreams" (Dave Spoon Remix) – 7:07
- "Sweet Dreams" (Steve Pitron & Max Sanna Remix – Radio Edit) – 3:37
- "Sweet Dreams" (Steve Pitron & Max Sanna Club Remix) – 7:38
- "Sweet Dreams" (Oli Collins & Fred Portelli Remix) – 5:38
- Australian and European 2-Track CD single
- "Sweet Dreams" – 3:27
- "Sweet Dreams" (Steve Pitron & Max Sanna Remix) [Radio Edit] – 3:35
Credits and personnel
Credits are taken from I Am... Sasha Fierce liner notesLiner notes
Liner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
.
- Beyoncé Knowles – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, producer, writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images.... - Rico Love – vocal recorders, producer, writer, additional vocals
- Jim Caruana – recorder
- James Scheffer – producer, writer
- Wayne Wilkins – writer, mixer, producer
Weekly charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
2 |
| Australian Urban Chart | 1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
17 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
24 |
| Belgian Tip Chart Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization... (Wallonia) |
4 |
| Brazilian Hot 100 Airplay Billboard Brasil Billboard Brasil is a monthly Brazilian magazine launched on October 10, 2009, with a print-run of over 40,000 copies. It is distributed nationwide by Brazil's biggest distributor Dinap... |
2 |
| Bulgarian Airplay Chart Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems, better known as BDS, is a service that tracks monitored radio, television and internet airplay of songs based on the number of spins and detections... |
4 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
17 |
| Czech Airplay Chart Rádio Top 100 Oficiální Rádio Top 100 Oficiální is the name of the Czech national airplay chart published by the IFPI Czech Republic on a weekly basis.Besides the main Top 100 record chart, also two component charts are effective. While the Rádio CZ 50 Oficiální features songs released exclusively by Czech and/or Slovak... |
5 |
| Danish Singles Chart Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... |
16 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
26 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 7 |
| French Digital Singles Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
30 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
8 |
| Greek Singles Chart Billboard charts The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine... |
4 |
| Hungarian Airplay Chart Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
4 |
| Hungarian Singles Chart Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
7 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
4 |
| Italian Singles Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
12 |
| Japan Hot 100 Japan Hot 100 The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com .... |
30 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
1 |
| Norway Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
6 |
| Slovak Airplay Chart Rádio Top 100 Oficiálna Rádio Top 100 Oficiálna is the name of the Slovakian national airplay chart published by the IFPI Czech Republic on a weekly basis since the cancellation of the Slovakian national section on December 31, 2009.... |
5 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 9 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
14 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
16 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
5 |
| UK R&B Chart UK R&B Chart The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week... |
3 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
10 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
48 |
| US Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
| US Pop Songs Mainstream Top 40 (Pop Songs) The Mainstream Top 40 is an airplay chart from Billboard magazine, and is also known as Pop Songs on billboard.com. It was often mistaken for and confused with the now discontinued Pop 100 Airplay chart... |
5 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 23 |
| Australian Urban Singles Chart | 7 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 64 |
| Canadian Hot 100 | 82 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 86 |
| German Singles Chart | 39 |
| Hungarian Airplay Chart | 46 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart New Zealand Top 50 Singles of 2009 This is a list of the Top 50 singles in 2009 in New Zealand, as listed by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand .-Chart:Songs in grey shading indicates a song of New Zealand origin. Smashproof's "Brother" was the longest-running song in 2009, peaked at number one in eleven weeks in a row... |
9 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 65 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 90 |
| UK Singles Chart | 39 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 66 |
| US Hot Dance Club Play Songs | 11 |
| US Radio Songs | 53 |
| Chart (2010) | Position |
| Hungarian Airplay Chart | 21 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 49 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 86 |
| US Radio Songs | 64 |
| US Rhythmic Songs | 43 |
Certifications
| Region | Provider | Certifications |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
Platinum |
| New Zealand | RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
Platinum |
| United States | RIAA Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Platinum |
Release history
| Country | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| United States | June 2, 2009 | Top 40 Contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts... and rhythmic Rhythmic Contemporary Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may... radio |
| Germany | July 13, 2009 | CD single |
| July 17, 2009 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
|
| France | July 17, 2009 | |
| Australia | July 24, 2009 | CD single |
| United Kingdom | August 10, 2009 | CD single, 12" Vinyl, digital download |
See also
- List of number-one singles from the 2000s (New Zealand)
- List of number-one dance singles of 2009 (U.S.)
- List of Rhythmic Top 40 number-one singles of 2009 (U.S.)
External links
- Official music video at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Beyoncé Knowles' official website