Formation (song)

"Formation" is a song by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé from her sixth studio album, '' Lemonade'' (2016). Beyoncé wrote and produced the song with Mike Will Made It, with Swae Lee and Pluss as co-writers. Pluss formulated the song's original beat while Swae Lee freestyled the hook, after which Beyoncé's wrote its verses. The song was surprise released on February 6, 2016, through Parkwood Entertainment. It is a trap and bounce song in which Beyoncé celebrates her culture, identity, and success as a black woman from the Southern United States.

The song received widespread acclaim upon release, with music critics praising it as a personal and political ode to black Southern identity. It was voted critics' top song of 2016 in ''The'' ''Village Voice'''s Pazz & Jop poll and named one of the best songs of the 2010s decade by numerous publications. In 2021, ''Rolling Stone'' placed the song at number 73 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list. "Formation" won all six of its nominations at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards and received three nominations at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Music Video, winning the lattermost award. In the United States, the song debuted at number 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and was certified three-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It also charted within the top 40 in Australia, Canada, France, Hungary, Scotland, Spain, and the United Kingdom, and the song was certified diamond in Brazil, double platinum in Australia, and platinum in Canada and New Zealand.

The song's music video premiered on the same day as the song itself as an unlisted video on YouTube. Directed by Melina Matsoukas, the New Orleans-set video portrays black pride and resilience through diverse depictions of black Southern culture. The video received critical acclaim, with ''Rolling Stone'' placing it at number one on its 100 Greatest Music Videos of All Time list in 2021. Beyoncé performed the song during her guest appearance at the Super Bowl 50 halftime show the day after its release, and it has featured on the setlists of her subsequent tours.

Upon release, "Formation" ignited discussions on the topics of culture, racism, and politics. The song also triggered controversy, with conservative figures claiming that Beyoncé was spreading anti-police and anti-American messages, and law enforcement officers protested at her concerts. It became known as a protest song and was adopted as an anthem by the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2017 Women's March. The song has also been the subject of study at schools, colleges, and universities.

Writing and production

"Formation" was written by Beyoncé, Mike Will Made It, Swae Lee and Pluss, and produced by Beyoncé and Mike Will. Pluss formulated the original beat for the song in Atlanta, Georgia, implementing a synthesizer effect found in the Virtual Studio Technology plug-in on FL Studio. In April 2014, Mike Will and the members of Rae Sremmund were driving to Coachella and freestyling to beats in the car. For the beat that Pluss made, Swae Lee said: "Okay ladies, now let's get in formation." Will loved the concept and thought it would be suited to Beyoncé, who had recently asked him to send new music ideas. Will believed it could be a huge female empowerment anthem in the same vein as Beyoncé's 2008 song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", with the track being about women getting in line with the men they are in relationships with. They recorded the line on a voice note and later played it back when in a recording studio in Los Angeles. Lee recorded a simple reference track, freestyling over the beat. Mike Will sent it to Beyoncé, together with five or six other reference tracks. A few months later, Mike Will was at a party after a basketball game. Beyoncé appeared at the party and told him she really liked the "Formation" idea, and left it at that.

Beyoncé then wrote all of the verses of the song in New York, while keeping the central hook about ladies getting in formation. Beyoncé's verses took the song in a different direction from what Will intended and broadened its scope to turn it into an anthem about her identity, heritage, and culture. Jon Platt of Warner Chappell Music told Mike Will: "Yo, this shit's crazy, you got to hear this." Will went to New York and spent a week with Beyoncé in Quad Recording Studios to complete the recording and production. They added heavy, distorted 808 beats with saturated upper harmonics to the track to make it "palatable to the culture", according to mixing engineer Jaycen Joshua. Beyoncé thought it could be a song that marching bands would play and asked for horns to be added to the track to evoke the sounds of New Orleans. Will explained that Beyoncé "took this one little idea we came up with on the way to Coachella, put it in a pot, stirred it up, and came with this smash. She takes ideas and puts them with her own ideas, and makes this masterpiece."

Composition and lyrics

"Formation" is a Houston trap and New Orleans bounce song. The song is written in the key of F minor in common time with a tempo of 123 beats per minute. It has a minimalistic beat containing rubbery synths and a heavy bass line, which transforms into a horn-infused stomp reminiscent of marching bands and military tattoos. In ''The Oxford Handbook of Social Media and Music Learning'', Joseph Michael Abramo wrote that Beyoncé's implementation of electronic production, brass elements, and vocal fry in "Formation" acts as a tribute to the signifiers of black music, while also forming a critique of institutional racism together with the lyrics. The song has an unconventional structure that deviates from the norm of pop music. American singer-songwriter Mike Errico called the songwriting "practically Dylanesque", with no single clear chorus on the track, but instead a chorus followed by a "super-chorus" that "blows what we thought was the chorus out of the water".

Beyoncé's vocals span from D₃ to A₄ in the song. Beyoncé employs multiple delivery styles on the track, with the introduction being delivered in a hoarse, whispered tone that switches into a half-rapped, half-sung cadence as the song progresses. Lauren Chanel Allen of ''Teen Vogue'' commented that Beyoncé used "a lazy trap flow" instead of "her superhuman vocal range", which acts as a refusal to code-switch and an embracing of blackness. ''The Guardian'' Alex Macpherson characterized Beyoncé's delivery as playful and carefree, noting the "amused drawl" of the opening line and the "sudden giddy exclamation as she lands on the word 'chaser' in the chorus". Sheldon Pearce of ''Pitchfork'' described how Beyoncé raps on the track, implementing enunciated syllables, "hard-cracking consonant sounds and precisely-measured alliteration" that make the lyrics satisfying to recite.

Lyrically, "Formation" is a celebration of Beyoncé's culture, identity, and success as a black woman from the Southern United States. Focusing on the theme of black pride, Beyoncé extols her Texan, Alabamian, and Louisianan roots and notes how she has remained closely connected to her heritage throughout her mainstream success. She reclaims offensive terms for black people ("negro" and " Bama") and applauds her and her family's physical features ("I like my baby heir with baby hair and afros" and "I like my Negro nose with Jackson 5 nostrils"). Beyoncé also references her global recognition on the track, dismissing a conspiracy theory that attributes her success to the Illuminati and celebrating self-made black businesswomen.

Release and commercial performance

"Formation" was released on February 6, 2016, accompanied by its official music video. It was a surprise release, having no prior announcement in a similar manner to Beyoncé's 2013 self-titled studio album. Writers such as Dream Hampton suggested that the release date was intentionally selected, as it was the start of Black History Month, during Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the day after Trayvon Martin's birthday, and the day before Sandra Bland's birthday. The release was accompanied by new merchandise on Beyoncé's website, with items and clothing citing lyrics from the song. The release "broke the internet", according to ''Rolling Stone'', sparking widespread praise and discourse on social media. It was Google's most searched song of 2016.

"Formation" was not an official single, according to music industry trade publication '' Hits Daily Double.'' The song was exclusively available as a free download via the subscription-based music streaming service Tidal. It was not available for purchase or for streaming on other platforms, and Tidal did not report the song's streams to Nielsen, the source of ''Billboard'''s sales figures. The song was also not promoted to radio stations; however it was still added to several stations' rotations. Reggie Rouse, program director at Atlanta station V-103, said: "If you were a mainstream urban station that didn't play 'Formation,' you were left out in the cold. When Beyoncé releases a record or a song, it's an event — everyone listens. If someone else did that, it wouldn't have the same effect." The song debuted at number 11 on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay with 16.3 million audience impressions, marking Beyoncé's highest career debut on the chart. Based on the airplay alone, the song debuted at number nine on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Bubbling Under Hot 100.

"Formation" featured as the final track on Beyoncé's sixth studio album, '' Lemonade'', which was surprise-released on April 23, 2016. The song also plays over the credits of the accompanying film of the same name. The track set new peak positions on the charts following the release of the album, as it became available for streaming exclusively on Tidal, as well as for purchase on iTunes two days later. The song debuted at number 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number three on the Digital Songs chart (with 174,000 downloads) on May 2, 2016. In 2022, the song was certified three-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in the U.S. Following the album's release, the song also debuted in the top 40 of several international singles charts, including the UK, Canada, Australia, France, Spain, Hungary, and Sweden. It reached number one on the ARIA Urban Singles chart, while the singer's own " Hold Up" was at number two.

Critical response

Reviews

"Formation" was met with widespread critical acclaim upon release. ''Pitchfork'' named the song "Best New Track", with Britt Julious describing it as one of Beyoncé's "most instrumentally-dense and trend-forward productions" which is made specifically for black women, "an audience that might not receive the sort of mainstream, visually and sonically-enticing wisdom that Bey has perfected". In a review for the ''New Statesman'', Anna Leszkiewicz praised the experimental nature of the track and wrote that Beyoncé presented "radical" sociopolitical concepts in a familial context, adding: "The more mainstream Beyoncé becomes, the more she functions as a marginal artist." Similarly, '' Q'''s Shad characterized the song's lyrics as "deeply personal and political", and praised Beyoncé for celebrating her black Southern roots on a global stage. Writing for ''The Guardian'', Daphne A Brooks described the "brilliance of the single's sonic arc", with the tension from Beyoncé's "restrained, raspy" vocals exploding in a "euphoric release" as she expresses her pride in black identity and culture.

Omise'eke Natasha Tinsley, professor of African Studies at University of Texas at Austin, wrote for ''Time'' that "Formation" differs from contemporary political songs by celebrating the breadth and beauty of black women's lives, rather than focusing on black men's deaths. ''The New York Times'' Jenna Wortham praised the song for its expression of black identity and wrote that it is "about the entirety of the black experience in America in 2016", encompassing topics such as beauty standards, police brutality, empowerment, and shared culture and history. In an article for ''The'' ''Washington Post'', Regina N. Bradley wrote that the song sees Beyoncé forgoing a "more universally appealing trope of feminine blackness in favor of an experimental and boisterous black womanhood" that can voice critiques of social, political, and economic issues. A ''Rolling Stone'' journalist commented that the song "felt downright necessary" in the Black Lives Matter era, deeming it "a powerful statement of black Southern resilience".

In retrospective reviews, critics have considered "Formation" to be one of Beyoncé's best songs, noting its broader cultural importance. ''Rolling Stone'''s Robyn Mowatt described the song as "one of the 21st century's most thrilling and bracing pop music statements", as a rallying cry and call to arms with global impact. Naming it Beyoncé's greatest song, ''The Guardian'''s head rock and pop critic Alexis Petridis characterized "Formation" as "a masterpiece", citing the "adventurous" music, Beyoncé's perfect vocal performance which switches "between playfulness and determination", and the lyrics that act as "a powerful statement of black resilience". ''USA Today'''s Melissa Ruggieri described the song as one of Beyoncé's "most consequential musical creations", while ''Entertainment Weekly'''s Lester Brathwaite wrote that it "marked a seismic shift in the culture" as the "new Black national anthem". ''Time'''s Raisa Bruner wrote that the song was "flawless", as a "seminal work" that reflected sociopolitical sentiments in the U.S.

Recognition

In ''The Village Voice'''s annual Pazz & Jop mass critics poll of the year's best in music in 2016, "Formation" was ranked at number one. It was named the best song of 2016 by ''Rolling Stone'', ''Time'', NPR, '' Rolling Stone Australia'', '' Rolling Stone Argentina'', ''Complex'', ''Entertainment Weekly'', '' Fuse'', '' Paste'', '' The Music'', '' Musikexpress'', '' Aftonbladet'', '' Idolator'', ''Mashable'', '' Red Bull'', and ''PopMatters''. The song was also named the best international song of 2016 by ''Rolling Stone Brazil'', while ''Billboard'' ranked it at number one on their "10 Best R&B Songs of 2016" list.

In 2019, ''Essence'' and '' Parade'' named "Formation" the greatest song of the decade (2010s). ''Consequence of Sound'', ''Paste'', '' Insider'', and ''Tampa Bay Times'' listed "Formation" as the third greatest song of the 2010s. For ''Pitchfork'' and ''Rolling Stone'' it was the fourth best of the same period. The BBC, ''Billboard'', and '' GQ'' included "Formation" in their lists of the songs that defined and shaped the decade. '' Vulture'' included the release date of "Formation" in their list of the 103 days that shaped music in the 2010s.

''The Independent'' included "Formation" on their list of the 40 best song lyrics of all time. '' i-D'' ranked the song at number one on their list of the greatest pop comebacks of the 21st century. In 2021, ''Rolling Stone'' placed the song at number 73 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Accolades

"Formation" received three nominations at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Music Video, of which it won the latter award. The song's losses in the former two categories sparked controversy, with some critics considering it a snub that demonstrates Beyoncé's lack of recognition in the General Field. The winner of the Record of the Year category Adele expressed recognition for Beyoncé in her acceptance speech, saying: "My dream and my idol is Queen Bey, and I adore you. You move my soul every single day. And you have done for nearly 17 years. I adore you, and I want you to be my mommy".

At the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, "Formation" won all of its nominations, making Beyoncé the most awarded artist in MTV Video Music Awards history. The video's win for Video of the Year marked Beyoncé's second win in this category, tying the record for the artist with the most wins in the category in history. With the song's win for Best Pop Video, Beyoncé became the only black artist to win the award in history.

Music video

Development

Beyoncé approached Melina Matsoukas to direct the music video for "Formation" a few weeks before its release. After Matsoukas agreed, Beyoncé invited Matsoukas to her house, where they discussed Beyoncé's family history, the South, and New Orleans. Matsoukas found ideas for the video following hours of research on the works of Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, and Octavia E. Butler. Matsoukas conceived scenes featuring events from throughout black history, including slavery, the Rodney King protests, and Mardi Gras parades. Matsoukas told ''The New Yorker'': "I wanted to show — this is black people. We triumph, we suffer, we're drowning, we're being beaten, we're dancing, we're eating, and we're still here." She wrote out a treatment at 2 am and sent it to Beyoncé at 5 or 6 am, thinking that Beyoncé would reply later in the day. However, Beyoncé responded immediately and asked to discuss it further.

Beyoncé filmed for the music video over two days. Arthur Jafa was hired as camera operator; Jafa had been the cinematographer of '' Daughters of the Dust'', a 1991 film about Gullah women in South Carolina, whose focus on black sisterhood was an inspiration for the "Formation" video. Matsoukas wanted to create a sense of verisimilitude in the video, shooting some scenes with a camcorder and others with a Bolex camera, the latter giving the scenes a grainy look resembling documentary footage. Sets for the video included the Fenyes Estate, which was decorated to evoke a "blackified" Southern Gothic mansion, and a soundstage with an artificial lake.

Synopsis

The music video is set in New Orleans, exploring interpretations of the city's past, present, and future in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, in turn forming a celebration of black pride and resilience. It features rapidly edited scenes that depict the variety and heterogeneity of black Southern culture. This includes Mardi Gras, black cowboys, stepping, wig shops, crawfish, cotillions, grills, black preachers, second lines, marching bands, bounce dancers, and traditional courtship and burial rituals. Beyoncé is seen embodying several archetypal Southern black women that span time, class, and space, which artist and author Ryann Donnelly viewed as being nine distinct personas that recur throughout the video. The video modifies the song to include spoken interpolations from the New Orleans bounce artist Big Freedia and YouTube personality Messy Mya, who was murdered in New Orleans in 2010.

The video begins with Beyoncé crouching on top of a New Orleans police interceptor, which gradually sinks into floodwaters as the video progresses, acting as a criticism of the government response to Hurricane Katrina. Another set of scenes portray Beyoncé as the mistress of an all-black household in a Southern plantation-style house, as a subversion and reclamation of the legacy of slavery in the South. Beyoncé and her dancers perform in an empty swimming pool in another scene, referencing the story of a recently desegregated public swimming pool in the 1950s being drained after Dorothy Dandridge dipped her toe in it. In a later scene, a man holds a newspaper featuring an image of Martin Luther King Jr. with the caption: "What is the real legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and why was a revolutionary recast as an acceptable Negro leader?" The last sequence depicts a young boy in a hoodie dancing in front of a line of police officers in riot gear. When the boy holds up his hands, the officers reciprocate the gesture. The video cuts to a wall graffitied with the phrase: "Stop shooting us", echoing the demand of the Black Lives Matter movement for reform in policing and criminal justice.

Release and reception

The video premiered alongside the song on Tidal on February 6, 2016. It was also uploaded as an unlisted video on Beyoncé's official YouTube channel, which prevented it from being accessed by search functionalities. The video was met with widespread acclaim from fans and critics, with ''The Guardian'''s Syreeta McFadden writing that it presents black culture in a way that has not often been seen in popular culture. ''Billboard'' named "Formation" the greatest music video of the decade in 2019, while ''Rolling Stone'' placed it at number one on their 100 Greatest Music Videos of All Time list in 2021.

Live performances

Beyoncé performed the song as part of a guest appearance during the Super Bowl 50 halftime show, which was headlined by Coldplay at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 7, 2016. Her performance started after Bruno Mars finished with " Uptown Funk". She wore a black leather outfit with golden sashes, inspired by Michael Jackson's Super Bowl XXVII halftime show, while her dancers' outfits were reminiscent of the Black Panther Party. At one point, her dancers formed an 'X' formation in an apparent reference to civil rights activist Malcolm X. The performance was met with international headlines and widespread acclaim, with many critics saying she stole the show from Coldplay. The staff of ''Rolling Stone'' described the performance as "awe-inspiring", while Jon Caramanica of ''The New York Times'' wrote that Beyoncé is the only artist capable of "walking the cultural tightrope of delivering a song with such potent declarations of black pride on a stage that prefers studied neutrality".

"Formation" was the opening number on Beyoncé's Formation World Tour, which began on April 27, 2016. It was performed with the singer backed by dancers dressed in black sequined leotards and hats with wide brims. The song was also performed as part of a five-song ''Lemonade'' medley at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards on August 28, 2016. She finished the performance with "Formation", with her dancers forming the female symbol at the end. ''Rolling Stone''s Rob Sheffield considered the performance to be "one of the most blood-chillingly great live performances in award-show history", while ''Billboard'' named it the greatest award show performance of all time. Beyoncé performed "Formation" during a surprise set at a "Get Out the Vote" concert in support of the Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign on November 4, 2016. Beyoncé and her dancers wore pantsuits, which is a piece of clothing that Clinton is known for.

During her 2018 Coachella performance, Beyoncé sang " Lift Every Voice and Sing", which is commonly known as the "Black National Anthem", and then transitioned into "Formation". Naima Cochrane of ''Billboard'' described the placement of the songs as "thoughtful", tying "Formation" – "an anthemic call to action celebrating her power as a black woman" – to the civil rights movement anthem. The performance was subsequently included in the 2019 ''Homecoming'' film and live album. Beyoncé performed "Formation" during the On the Run II Tour, her 2018 co-headlining stadium world tour with Jay-Z. The song was also performed at the 2018 Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 charity concert in Johannesburg, South Africa, which commemorated Nelson Mandela's 100th birthday. Beyoncé and her dancers each wore a different color and lined up in a row, forming a human pride flag to show support for the LGBTQ community. "Formation" was also part of the setlist of Beyoncé's 2023 Renaissance World Tour. The song opened up the army-themed "Opulence" act of the show. "Formation" was included on the 2025 Cowboy Carter Tour setlist.

Controversy

"Formation", its music video, and the performance at the Super Bowl received criticism from some conservative figures, law enforcement organizations, and social media users over perceived anti-police, anti-American, and anti-white racist messages. Former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani called the performance "outrageous", adding: "I don't know what the heck it was. A bunch of people bouncing around and all strange things. It was terrible." Congressman Peter King condemned the "Formation" video, saying that "no one should really care what eyoncéthinks about any serious issue confronting our nation". Canadian politician Jim Karygiannis said that the Canadian government should investigate Beyoncé and consider banning her from the country following her Super Bowl performance. Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh said that the song was "representative of the cultural decay and social rot that is befalling our country". British media personality Piers Morgan wrote that the song has a "police-hating theme" and characterized Beyoncé as an "agitating" figure who is playing the race card. Conservative TV host Tomi Lahren directed a rant towards Beyoncé, accusing her of "ramrodding an aggressive agenda down our throats" and concluding: "Your husband was a drug dealer. For fourteen years, he sold crack cocaine. Talk about protecting black neighborhoods? Start at home". Beyoncé requested to use thirty seconds of Lahren's rant for the Formation World Tour, but Lahren denied the request.

An anti-Beyoncé campaign was started on social media titled #BoycottBeyoncé, which was met with a competing #IStandWithBeyoncé hashtag. As part of the campaign, an anti-Beyoncé protest was held outside the National Football League headquarters on February 16, 2016, citing the "hate speech & racism" in Beyoncé's performance, which encouraged a counter-protest to be organized. In order to stoke unrest as part of the Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections, the Kremlin-backed Internet Research Agency placed adverts on Instagram urging people to attend the protests. Only three anti-Beyoncé protesters attended, while a larger counter-protest gathered, holding signs expressing statements such as "Pro-black doesn't mean anti-white".

The National Sheriffs' Association made a link between Beyoncé's performance and the killings of seven law enforcement officers in the U.S. Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold blamed shots being fired outside his home on the "Formation" video. Police unions across the U.S. encouraged a boycott of The Formation World Tour. The Coalition of Police and Sheriffs protested outside Beyoncé's concert at NRG Stadium on May 7, 2016. The protesters wore " Police Lives Matter" T-shirts, held a printout of Jay Z's mugshot, and shone a blue light toward the stadium. President of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association Vinny Gericitano urged a boycott of Beyoncé's music and tour, however ensured that her concert in Tampa would be properly policed. Other law enforcement organizations did not join the boycott, such as those in Houston and Raleigh, the latter of which voted unanimously not to boycott the tour.

Other public figures defended Beyoncé. Writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie told ''Le Monde'' that she "very much admires" what Beyoncé did with "Formation". Adichie said that there is something in mainstream American culture "that says you cannot be too black", and questioned why people would feel uncomfortable with the song's message and not be outraged over police brutality. The controversy was discussed on ''Real Time with Bill Maher'', where Maher mocked the right-wing response to "Formation". Rapper and activist Killer Mike explained how the song is not about white people, while comedian Margaret Cho added: "Black pride doesn't have to take anything away from white culture. I think this is what Black America needed. It's what all of us needed." Minister Louis Farrakhan backed the singer during a sermon and offered her the protection of the Nation of Islam. Singer-songwriter Ne-Yo questioned why Beyoncé was being criticized for singing about her identity, stating: "Everybody else has the right to talk about their culture and their race and be proud of it, so why can't we? Why can't she?" On ''The Daily Show'', Jessica Williams defended Beyoncé and responded to commentators who said her performance was not "wholesome" enough, saying she did not realize singing about race was the equivalent to Janet Jackson's Super Bowl controversy.

Beyoncé responded to the backlash, telling ''Elle'': "I'm an artist and I think the most powerful art is usually misunderstood." She expressed respect and admiration for police officers and explained that the message of "Formation" was not anti-police but against police brutality and injustice. Beyoncé added: "If celebrating my roots and culture during Black History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me. I'm proud of what we created and I'm proud to be part of a conversation that is pushing things forward in a positive way." Beyoncé later sold "Boycott Beyoncé" merchandise at the Formation World Tour, acting as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the controversy. ''The Atlantic'''s Spencer Kornhaber wrote that this was also a statement that Beyoncé was unwavering in her beliefs, which directly acknowledges "the people she's alienated and telling them she doesn't want them to come back".

Legacy

Race and politics

Upon its release, "Formation" dominated public conversation and ignited discussions on the topics of culture, racism, and politics. Many academic syllabuses, think pieces, ideological debates, and analyses were published in response to the song. Puja Patel, editor-in-chief of ''Pitchfork'', wrote that the song was "an awakening for a country in crisis" at first, and it has since evolved to "live on as a reminder of the slow, persistent, daily work of organizing and the power of resilience and protest". Marquita Gammage wrote that the song forced Americans to address topics in American history that had largely been excluded from history books and public school syllabuses, such as the Black Power movement, the Black Panther Party, and Malcolm X. According to Kinitra D. Brooks, the song reclaimed the images of both the Black Lives Matter movement and Black Panther Party, which some Americans had associated with terrorism rather than liberation. Describing the song as "revolutionary", Riché Richardson wrote that it "unsettled the prevailing national fantasies of a post-racial America" and challenged listeners to envisage a future nation that is more inclusive of race, sexuality, and gender.

"Formation" garnered attention for the Black Lives Matter movement and raised awareness for issues facing black people before the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Charles Hughes, professor and director of the Memphis Center at Rhodes College, said that music was one of the strongest influences on the 2016 presidential election and that "Formation" had the greatest influence of all songs. Hughes described the song as "invoking movement" and reminding listeners of the role of women in the Black Lives Matter movement. In '' Michael Moore in TrumpLand'', American filmmaker Michael Moore said that Beyoncé's performance of "Formation" at the Super Bowl was the breaking point of the shifting gender balance in American society, at which straight white men realized they were losing their power to women.

"Formation" became known as a protest song upon its release and has since been used as an anthem for various sociopolitical movements. The song became a Black Lives Matter anthem, being adopted by activists and played at protests worldwide. Tamara Winfrey Harris explained how "music has a powerful ability to shape social values and beliefs", with "Formation" following in the footsteps of songs that provide "the support and soundtrack for civil rights", such as Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit", Nina Simone's " Mississippi Goddam", Sam Cooke's " A Change Is Gonna Come", and Aretha Franklin's "Respect". Nora Guthrie, daughter of American singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie, told ''Billboard'' that she looks to Beyoncé to continue the work of her father and other folk pioneers who wrote protest songs in the 1960s. Guthrie compared "Formation" to the work of Lead Belly, adding: "Just because the music isn't based in acoustic guitar doesn't mean it isn't drawing from the same ideals." Gerrick D Kennedy of the ''Los Angeles Times'' wrote that the song became part of the "soundtrack for a new generation of young black men and women during a renewed time of racial unrest" and helped Beyoncé become "the face of protest music" in 2016. "Formation" continued to be one of the protest songs of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, with the track being played at the George Floyd protests. The song also became a women's empowerment anthem, with it being used to show support for the #MeToo movement and its lyrics being featured on signs at the Women's March.

Music industry

"Formation" was a defining moment of 2010s music, according to ''Billboard'''s Bianca Gracie, with Beyoncé setting the standard for what popular music can be. '' Glamour'''s Danielle Young wrote that the song revolutionized how music is consumed, with Beyoncé making listeners stop and experience the song together. Writing for ''Vice'', University of Waterloo professor Naila Keleta-Mae commented that Beyoncé went from "manipulating the pop culture music industry machine to usurping it" with "Formation", setting the blueprint for how artists can explore political issues while holding mainstream attention. Jordan Bassett of ''NME'' wrote that the song brought protest music back. Yale University professor Daphne A Brooks agreed, writing for ''The Guardian'' that the song has ushered in a new "golden age" of protest music, as an "inspired, insurgent assault" that "challenges us to ask how we can all make cultural forms work for us and not the other way around". The music video for "Formation" helped to move the art form forward, according to ''Time'''s Raisa Bruner. Sonia Rao of ''The Washington Post'' wrote that it ushered in a "music video renaissance", igniting a trend of boundary-pushing music videos that explore political issues.

Academic studies

"Formation" inspired the 2018 book ''Beyoncé in Formation: Remixing Black Feminism'' by Omise'eke Natasha Tinsley. The book is based on Tinsley's college course "Beyoncé Feminism, Rihanna Womanism", which she teaches as professor at Harvard University and the University of Texas at Austin, and analyses the cultural, political, and black feminist themes in ''Lemonade''. In 2017, the University of Pennsylvania offered a course titled "Beyoncé, Protest, and Popular Music", which explored the risks that Beyoncé took when releasing "Formation", its place in the history of protest songs, and the role of gender and race in popular music. At the University of Hertfordshire, "Formation" was studied as part of the UK's first degree course focusing on the Black Lives Matter movement. In 2016, the University of Texas at San Antonio

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