"Independent Women Part I" is a song recorded by American group Destiny's Child for the soundtrack to the film adaptation of the 1970s television series Charlie's Angels. It was written and produced by production duo Poke & Tone, consisting of Samuel Barnes and Jean-Claude Olivier, along with Cory Rooney, and group member Beyoncé Knowles. The song was later included on the group's third studio album, Survivor (2001). "Independent Women" was Destiny's Child's first single to feature vocals from group member Michelle Williams and the only single to feature Farrah Franklin, who was no longer in the group when the single was released.

Released as the soundtrack's lead single in August 2000, the song held the number-one spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for eleven consecutive weeks from November 2000 to February 2001. It was named the 18th most successful song of the 2000s, on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade. The song was in the 2000–2001 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records for longest-running number-one song by a female group. The song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart becoming the 25th best-selling single of 2000 in the country.

The song received generally positive reviews years after its release for its feminism and female empowerment messages. Billboard ranked the song at number 77 on their list "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time". The song was also nominated for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media at the 2001 Grammy Awards.

Background

"Independent Women Part I" was written and produced by production duo Poke & Tone, consisting of Samuel Barnes and Jean-Claude Olivier, along with Cory Rooney, and group member Beyoncé Knowles. As she later recalled, she thought, "I don’t need a man, I'm independent," and subsequently went into the studio alone to record an early version of the track promoting both financial and emotional self-sufficiency. Because Destiny's Child's label, Columbia Records, was distributing the soundtrack, company executives considered the song thematically well suited to the film's portrayal of three strong, independent women. Rather than producing a simple remix, the duo substantially reworked the composition. In an interview with Billboard, Beyoncé explained the meaning of the song and its inspiration:<blockquote>"I remember being in Japan when Destiny's Child put out 'Independent Women,' and women there were saying how proud they were to have their own jobs, their own independent thinking, their own goals. It made me feel so good, and I realized that one of my responsibilities was to inspire women in a deeper way."</blockquote>

Critical reception

NME wrote that even if "the girls have got it a little wrong – measuring their independence by the glint of their jewellery", it "beats as confident as this smack you upside your head, and when the track has such immediate, club-bound freshness". Craig Seymour of Entertainment Weekly wrote that "an anthem for female autonomy" is "preposterous" as a soundtrack to a film about "three babes managed by an ol’ codger", ultimately finding the song "a misguided mess". Billboard likened the song's release strategy to being influenced by Janet Jackson's "Doesn't Really Matter", saying the group "began planting the seeds for the upcoming release" in a similar vein. It was also ranked at number 85 on the list of Britain's favorite 100 songs, published in May 2002.

In 2014 HuffPost ranked "Independent Women Part I" as the second best song of the group. Oprah Daily listed the song on "50 Songs to Inspire and Empower the Women in Your Life". Harper's Bazaar listing the song on "The Best Feminist Anthems of All Time" wrote that "The girl group pays tribute to the woman who is self-sufficient, self-motivated, and self-made." Parade listed the song at 19th of the "40 Songs That Scream Female Empowerment", writing that "Destiny's Child created one of the best girl power anthems ever".

The song was nominated for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards. It was also nominated for Worst Song at the 2000 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards.

Commercial performance

"Independent Women Part I" was a chart success in the United States, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The single held the top position in the following week, which was seen as buoyed by the strong box office performance of Charlie's Angels and the heavy rotation the song received. The single spent 11 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot&nbsp;100 top position. During its 10th week at the top spot, the music press had expected that the single would fall off the top position because of strong competition at retail; however, it sustained due to the high sales of the maxi-CD released in December 2000. The song also reached the number-one position in New Zealand. Elsewhere, the song reached the top five in Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Denmark, Finland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland; Destiny's Child take part of a futuristic Charlie's Angels boot camp and sit in a classroom to watch footage of Charlie's Angels. They learn from them and try out the challenges in several steps: agility (dancing), altitude (skydiving), combat (martial arts fighting) and speed (motorbike). At the end, the women are greeted by the ever-mysterious Charlie Townsend (voiced by John Forsythe). The band also performs in a huge disco set in between the scenes. For post-production, special effects were done by digital effects group Pixel Envy. The video is featured on the DualDisc edition of the 2005 album #1's and as a bonus feature on the DVD release of Charlie's Angels.

Track listings

US and Canadian maxi-CD single

  1. "Independent Women" (Part I—album version) – 3:41
  2. "Independent Women" (Victor Calderone drum dub mix) – 5:30
  3. "Independent Women" (Victor Calderone club mix) – 9:36
  4. "Independent Women" (Maurice's Independent Man remix) – 7:30
  5. "8 Days of Christmas" – 3:29

US 12-inch single

:A1. "Independent Women Part I" (Maurice's Independent Man remix) – 7:30

:A2. "Independent Women Part I" (album version) – 3:41

:A3. "Independent Women Part I" (instrumental) – 3:41

:B1. "Independent Women Part I" (Victor Calderone club mix) – 9:36

:B2. "Independent Women Part I" (Victor Calderone drum dub mix) – 5:30

UK CD1

  1. "Independent Women Part I" (album version) – 3:41
  2. "Independent Women Part I" (Victor Calderone radio mix) – 4:24
  3. "Independent Women Part I" (Maurice's radio mix) – 3:54

UK CD2

  1. "Independent Women Part II" – 3:45
  2. "Say My Name" (Timbaland remix) – 5:01
  3. "So Good" – 3:14

UK cassette single

  1. "Independent Women Part I" (album version) – 3:41
  2. "Independent Women Part II" – 3:45

European CD1

  1. "Independent Women Part I" (album version) – 3:41
  2. "Independent Women Part I" (Victor Calderone radio mix) – 4:24

European CD2

  1. "Independent Women Part I" (album version) – 3:41
  2. "Independent Women Part I" (Joe Smooth 200 Proof 2 Step mix) – 4:17
  3. "Independent Women Part I" (Maurice's radio mix) – 3:54
  4. "Independent Women Part I" (Victor Calderone club mix) – 9:36

Australian and New Zealand CD single

  1. "Independent Women Part I" (album version)
  2. "Independent Women Part I" (Victor Calderone radio mix)
  3. "Independent Women Part I" (Maurice's radio mix)
  4. "Independent Women Part I" (Victor Calderone club mix)

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Survivor.

  • Samuel Barnes &ndash; writing, production
  • Tom Coyne &ndash; mastering
  • Troy Gonzalez &ndash; recording
  • Cory Rooney &ndash; writing, production
  • Beyoncé Knowles &ndash; co-production, vocals, writing
  • Jean-Claude Olivier &ndash; writing, production
  • Kelly Rowland &ndash; vocals
  • Manelich Sotolongo &ndash; recording
  • Rich Travali &ndash; mixing
  • Michelle Williams &ndash; vocals
  • Farrah Franklin &ndash; vocals

Charts

Weekly charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

!Chart (2000–2001)

!Peak<br/>position

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

! scope="row"| Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)

|3

|-

! scope="row"| Canada CHR (Nielsen BDS)

|1

|-

! scope="row"| Croatia (HRT)

|7

|-

|-

! scope="row"| Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)

|1

|-

|-

|-

|-

! scope="row"| Greece (IFPI)

|6

|-

! scope="row"| Hungary (MAHASZ)

|5

|-

! scope="row"| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)

|2

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

! scope="row"| Poland (Polish Airplay Chart)

|10

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|UK Airplay (Music Week)

|align="center"| 2

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|}

Year-end charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

!scope="col"| Chart (2000)

!scope="col"| Position

|-

!scope="row"| Australia (ARIA)

|58

|-

!scope="row"| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)

|79

|-

!scope="row"| Denmark (IFPI)

|43

|-

!scope="row"| France (SNEP)

|99

|-

!scope="row"| Ireland (IRMA)

|25

|-

!scope="row"| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)

|69

|-

!scope="row"| Netherlands (Single Top 100)

|34

|-

!scope="row"| Sweden (Hitlistan)

|59

|-

!scope="row"| UK Singles (OCC)

|25

|-

!scope="row"| UK Urban (Music Week)

|18

|-

!scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100

|81

|-

!scope="row"| US Hot Soundtrack Singles (Billboard)

|8

|-

!scope="row"| US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)

|40

|}

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

!scope="col"| Chart (2001)

!scope="col"| Position

|-

!scope="row"| Australia (ARIA)

|57

|-

!scope="row"| Australian Dance (ARIA)

|9

|-

!scope="row"| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)

|87

|-

!scope="row"| Brazil (Crowley)

|19

|-

!scope="row"| Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)

|44

|-

!scope="row"| Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)<br/>

|188

|-

!scope="row"| Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)

|22

|-

!scope="row"|Ireland (IRMA)

|89

|-

!scope="row"| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)

|91

|-

!scope="row"| Netherlands (Single Top 100)

|90

|-

!scope="row"| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)

|30

|-

!scope="row"| UK Singles (OCC)

|184

|-

!scope="row"|UK Airplay (Music Week)

|34

|-

!scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100

|43

|-

!scope="row"| US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)

|14

|-

!scope="row"| US Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)

|1

|-

!scope="row"| US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)

|20

|}

Decade-end charts

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

!Chart (2000–2009)

!Position

|-

!scope="row"| Netherlands (Single Top 100)

|93

|-

!scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100

|18

|}

All-time charts

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

! Chart (2018)

! Position

|-

!scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100

|131

|}

Certifications

Release history

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+ Release dates and formats for "Independent Women Part I"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|

|-

! rowspan="3" scope="row" | United States

| August 29, 2000

|

| rowspan="3" | Columbia

|

|-

| September 19, 2000

| Contemporary hit radio

|

|-

| October 3, 2000

| 12-inch vinyl

|

|-

! scope="row"| France

| November 6, 2000

| rowspan="3"| Maxi CD

| Columbia

|

|-

! scope="row"| Australia

| November 10, 2000

| rowspan="2"| Sony Music

|

|-

! scope="row"| Germany

| November 11, 2000

|

|-

! scope="row" | New Zealand

| November 27, 2000

|

|

|-

! scope="row"| United States

| December 5, 2000

| Maxi CD

|

|}

See also

  • List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 2000
  • List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 2001
  • List of number-one R&B singles of 2000 (U.S.)
  • List of&nbsp;Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play number ones of 2000
  • List of number-one singles from the 2000s (New Zealand)
  • List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 2000s
  • List of UK R&B Singles Chart number ones of 2000

Notes

References