Who Runs YouTube?

"Run The World (Girls)" has just passed 100,000,000 views on YouTube. Swallow that bitter pill, haters! While not a record by any means - Justin Bieber's "Baby" has been viewed 600,000,000+ times - more people have tuned in to watch Bey's Tofo Tofo dance and growling hyenas than Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" or Britney's "Hold It Against Me". Not bad for a song that only reached #29 in America. This is further proof for me that the schizophrenic jam was ahead of its time. People just couldn't get their head around it but were fascinated enough to keep coming back for more. Which explains why it's still hanging around iTunes all these months later and creeping towards a platinum certification in the States. Re-live the wonder of a goddess at the top of her game below.

Beyoncé slays your faves - YET AGAIN

"Run The World (Girls)" is now a gold-selling top 10 hit. In Australia. Not only that but "Best Thing I Never Had" is already top 30 on our iTunes with no airplay or promotion - a stark contrast to its position in America. I think we all know what this means. Beyoncé is the new Kat DeLuna. Only instead of ruling Belgium's airwaves, Honey B is snatching wigs from Penrith to Perth. Kelly Rowland could never!

Beyoncé - 4 tracklist and 1+1 review

After a month of absolutely nothing, Bey's promo campaign went into overdrive this week. She touched Oprah in ways that made Gayle jealous on Monday night before unveiling her album tracklist and setting a new standard of excellence on American Idol on Wednesday. But more about that career-defining performance later. I have some "4" stanning to get out of the way first. These are the names of 11 of the best songs you will hear this year as well as the hottest mess of the decade:

1+1
I Care
I Miss You
Best Thing I Never Had
Party (Featuring Andre 3000)
Rather Die Young
Start Over
Love On Top
Countdown
End of Time
I Was Here
‎Run The World (Girls)

I'm happy with 12 songs. Given Beyoncé's recent track record, "4" will probably be re-released more times than "Good Girl Gone Bad" - so I'm sure we'll end up getting a bunch of extra tracks anyway. The only surprise is the Andre 3000 collaboration. Was Flo Rida busy? Whatever. I'm sure it's amazing. Speaking of which, how stunning is the diva's latest promo pic (above)? That should have been the album cover. Every other bitch in the game can only nod and say yep, she got this. Sasha Fierce is back from beyond the grave!

But while the styling still has an edge, there is something very old-fashioned about "4". Take the new song Beysus premiered this week. I heard a preview of "1+1" online before seeing her holiness belt it out on American Idol and was left scratching my head. In a good way. Much like the recently leaked "End of Time", this sounds like a throwback to old school 80s soul when music was allowed to grow on you instead of beating you over the head with a robotic hook. "1+1" is the best ballad Anita Baker never got to record. The love song Karyn White wishes she got sing after "Superman". Yes, it's that amazing! And if you think "1+1" sounds brilliant on record wait until you hear it live. Bey tore the stage up on American Idol with another flawless vocal performance that stole the show. Even better is the backstage rehearsal Jay Z posted on his blog today. Watching this is like having a front row seat to greatness. Beyoncé is now operating on a whole different level.

Run The World - Remixed

The first batch of "Run The World (Girls)" remixes has landed and, as usual, Beyoncé delivers the goods. I have to admit I was concerned. Surely the ultimate remix of Bey's #12 Australian smash would be an instrumental of "Pon De Floor"? Well, team Knowles had a different idea and decided to gay this mother up! Dave Audé's mix is a typically crisp, mainroom floorfiller, while Jump Smokers remove most of the lyrics to give the track a harder edge. Their hot mix is the pick of the bunch but I like them all. Perhaps the most amusing is the Jochen Simms remix. It turns B's hood anthem into a future Oxford Street video jukebox classic and I say that with love and affection. I love how it tries to stay true to the original before giving up and catering to the gays. Hearing "I'm so hood wit dis" over trance synths makes my life. I worship it and can't wait for the full extended mix. You know it's only a matter of time until you see an army of shirtless gays doing the Pantsula to this!

Run The World (Girls) - Video Review

I must have started this "Run The World (Girls)" video review at least 30 times. But every time I sit down to write it, I get the urge to watch Beyoncé's Francis Lawrence directed extravaganza one more time without having to analyse each and every frame. It goes without saying that my expectations were high. I agreed with Kanye when he called "Single Ladies" one of the best videos of all time and justifiably ruined Taylor's moment. That clip is already an important piece of modern history and I hoped lightning would strike twice. Because - to be brutally honest - another video phenomenon is about the only thing that can reverse the fortunes of "Run The World (Girls)". As it turns out, Bey doesn't quite pull it off but damn she comes close. There is so much to love about this epic clip. Brilliant photography, breathtaking choreography and a pair of fucking hyenas. It's completely demented in an America's Next Top Model meets Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome kind of way and shows why Mrs Carter is still the fiercest diva on the block even when she's pushing a single with no chorus that sounds like five songs thrown into a blender.

The opening of the clip is immaculate. I defy anyone to name a more impressive introduction. I get chills watching Beyoncé ride that horse through what appears to be a post-apocalyptic landscape like Xena if she wasn't a lesbian. The cinematography is eerily beautiful and there's a real sense of foreboding as the soldiers pile in, while warrior B stands on a burned-out car and her model friends, who prudently held on to their curling irons and couture after the apocalypse, writhe around in the desert. And then, at the 30 second mark, the queen of pop appears in that gorgeous red dress with a lion at her feet looking like something from a renaissance painting. By this point I had a semi and was about to faint from the sheer ferocity of my fave but it only got better. I live for the scene where she slowly lifts her face towards camera in that metallic headdress and her slinky walk towards the soldiers makes Rihanna's entire career instantly redundant.

And then the real magic happens. Bey starts shaking like she's having the most glamorous epileptic fit on record and breaks into the best dance routine featured in a music video since "Single Ladies". I love that Francis Lawrence keeps the camera still in a long shot so you can see that this all Beyoncé - my only gripe is the fact that you would need superhuman powers to duplicate these moves without breaking something. The influence of African tribal dance in the choreography is blindingly obvious and works brilliantly. Next are those hyenas. I just can't. It's the most fabulous thing I've ever seen! While the mirrored outfit and exploding car come a very close second. By the time the choreography returns at about 2:35 mins I thought Beyoncé had pulled a rabbit out of her House of Dereon wig and delivered another flawless masterpiece but unfortunately the final quarter of the clip is a bit of a let down.

Given the frenetic rhythm of the song and the breathtaking choreography that precedes it, the scene where Bey and her girls lie in the sand and deliver some Kylie-esque foot dancing doesn't quite cut it. The moves seem too slow for the music. Then there's the bizarre upside down sand twist. I honestly thought I was watching Kylie the first time I saw it. Beyoncé looks eerily like Ms Minogue circa "Body Language" and rolls around like she's re-making "Slow" in the desert. I actually love the scene visually but it's like they completely forgot the song. It just doesn't fit the aural mayhem that is "Run The World (Girls)". Happily, Bey pulls it together for a truly memorable finale, which again highlights the fact that she is the only big name in music that can sing and dance. The hair whipping is amazing and the choreography is nuts. Taken as a whole this is clearly the best video of 2011 and one of the best clips of the diva's entire career but a little bit of sloppiness stops it from being a flawless masterpiece. Nevertheless, your faves have been scalped and Bey is back on top. The end.

9.5/10

Beyoncé update - album details & video preview

Beyoncé's non-existent "Run The World (Girls)" promo campaign finally kicked off today with an insightful interview with Billboard magazine, the first album review and a longer video teaser. It's a lot of information to process - so here are the most important tidbits:

1. Bey's soon-to-be-all-conquering 4th album will be called "4". The title isn't going to win any awards for originality but at least it isn't an embarrassment like "B'Day". It's also a cute nod to fans who nicknamed the project "Round IV", so I'm on board.

2. The more I hear about this project, the more I'm convinced we're about to embark upon the 16 time Grammy winner's "Impossible Princess" phase. Everything from the line-up of producers to the scheduled rock festival appearances and list of influences screams edgy and experimental.

3. My gut feeling was pretty much confirmed by B's riveting Billboard interview, in which she said:

"I love... mixing different cultures and eras — things that typically don’t go together — to create a new sound. I can never be safe; I always try and go against the grain."

Truth!

4. She then listed her influences for the album as DeBarge, Fela Kuti, Adele, Lionel Richie, Muse, Teena Marie (YES!), Jackson 5, New Edition, Florence + the Machine, Prince and Rage Against The Machine. This is so exciting! I'm picking up on a strong retro R&B vibe with a little rock thrown in for good measure.

5. I love that Beyoncé is taking risks and growing. She could have easily phoned up Max Martin and Dr Luke like every other ho in the game and picked up 10 radio ready hits but that's what separates a legend like Mrs Knowles-Carter from manufactured pop stars like Britney and Rihanna - the drive to try new things and grow. It might be a total disaster but I'd prefer she experiment than play it safe and just be another number in the pack. This is all or nothing. And my money is still on Bey.

6. The highest earning pop star on the planet is feeling older and wiser. In another interesting Billboard quote, she says:

"I'm approaching 30, and finally took a break in my life, which I’ve never had. I took more than a year off: I traveled around, spent time with my husband, woke up in my own bed, ate whatever I wanted, went to museums and Broadway plays, watched documentaries, and just had life experiences."

In a typically biased and unnecessarily hateful post, my frenemy The Prophet desperately clutched at straws by citing a couple of random features as proof that Bey never got off the grind but truth be told she's been keeping a low profile since "Telephone", singing the occasional verse for friends and releasing a video for "Why Don't You Love Me?" that probably took 30 minutes to make. Apart from that she's just been snapped going to restaurants, hanging out at music festivals and travelling around Europe. I'm glad she's had the chance to recharge her batteries and bring fresh ideas to the table. Her increasingly stale rivals should try it.

7. The only child of destiny that counts confirmed she will star in a re-make of "A Star Is Born" - a role previously played by gay icon Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland. Bey now walks in the company of legends while Brit Brit is desperately trying to pitch "Crossroads 2" to Doll Phace.

8. A listening party was held in New York overnight and Just Jared posted the first review. It sounds amazing - particularly the song with the Boys II Men sample - but again I'm left with the impression that there are no instant radio hits on there. Which excites and scares me in equal measure.

9. I'm really excited that Beysus is embracing a more organic, instrument based sound. That kind of accompaniment will really compliment her glorious voice and produce a timeless album.

10. The first real look at "Run The World (Girls)" arrived today and it's absolutely flawless. I generally ignore YouTube comments but I agree with the stan who said "Sorry Gaga, but THIS is what $10 million should look like!" Francis Lawrence has crafted something truly epic. It's too early to start raving like a lunatic but - from the teaser alone - this is already the video of the year. The post-apocalyptic scenario is audacious and compelling. There are fucking hyenas in it. Bey's lacefront slays my life. That's all you really need to know.

Get ready to cry and shake!

Run The World - Preview 2

Beyoncé's "Run The World (Girls)" promo campaign could finally be getting under way with a second preview of the video surfacing this morning. As usual, the undisputed Queen of pop/international fashion mogul/critically acclaimed actress/professional wig snatcher etc etc delivers the goods. The Francis Lawrence directed clip looks like a winner and could breathe some life into the most curiously understated promotional campaign in pop history. To recap - as of this moment there have been no TV interviews, no print interviews, no radio interviews, no tweets, no performances and no desperate celebrity remixes to promote the song. Hell, the audio isn't even on VEVO internationally yet!

So can one amazing clip kickstart this hottest of hot messes? Maybe. From the two previews, Beysus has really outdone herself. She looked fucking amazing on that black stallion in the first clip and the second offering is even more stunning. Basically, a bunch of scantily-clad hos roll around around the desert looking lost and glamorous. Think Mad Max crossed with America's Next Top Model. As the only big name diva that can dance, the choreography should be amazing and the visuals look stunning. My gut tells me it's too little, too late but I'm glad they are pushing "Girls" instead of jumping straight into single number two. Nothing says desperation quite like the old "it was just a buzz single" trick. I'm looking at you, Keri Hilson.

And while the hood anthem is unlikely to scale the same heights as Bey's previous singles, it will definitely climb the charts with a decent push. Airplay is building on urban radio and the Queen just needs one knock-out live performance for the world to remember her complete and utter superiority to your faves. Check out the second preview below!

Bey iTunes Update

Beyoncé is running Australian iTunes with "Run The World (Girls)" jumping all the way to #24. $ucce$$! Meanwhile in America, the song is sitting at #9. Naturally the deluded haters - headed by the spiteful whore over at Chart Rigger - are calling this a flop. Back the fuck up! Solange would set her weave on fire for those numbers and we all know if this doesn't work Bey will go into damage control, dedicate a power ballad to Oprah and own your faves. Again. Personally, I'm loving "Run The World (Girls)" more with every listen. It really does sound like 5 songs rolled into one but I love how crazy it is. And it has the most quotable lyrics ever. I melt when she declares "you'll do anything for me!" So true, Beyoncé. Apart from downloading your single that is. Stay tuned for another chart update soon!

Run The World (Girls) - Teaser & Cover

Round IV officially begins tonight as "Run The World (Girls)" is rushed to iTunes. I can hardly breathe. Hurricane Bey is coming and the air is thick with snatched wigs and shattered dreams. Lock down your faves and pray for mercy! Today also delivered some new details about the legendary diva's new smash. Most of us were under the impression that Diplo produced the track given the previous confirmation that he worked on the album and the fact that the song samples Major Lazer's "Pon De Floor". Diplo is one half of Major Lazer. As it turns out, the other half of Major Lazer - Switch - produced the track with Beyoncé herself.

Honestly, Honey B's talent astounds me. Singer, dancer, actress, fashion mogul. Is there anything she can't do? Hell, she even co-wrote the song with The-Dream. Bow down, bitches! As much as I'm feeling the "Run The World (Girls)", I don't like the cover. It looks rushed and was obviously shot on the set of the video between takes. After the iconic "I Am... Sasha Fierce" artwork, this is a let down. Happily, the video itself looks amazing. Team Knowles released a 15 second teaser today and it slays me. Bey straddling that black stallion like a Queen, while her immaculate lace-front blows in the breeze like strands of gold is the defining image of 2011. Watch in awe below!