Survivor (song)
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| "Survivor" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Destiny's Child | ||
| from the album Survivor | ||
| Released | 2001 | |
| Format | CD single 12" single |
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| Recorded | 2000 | |
| Genre | Pop/R&B | |
| Length | 4:14 | |
| Label | Columbia | |
| Writer(s) | Beyoncé Knowles Anthony Dent Mathew Knowles |
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| Producer(s) | Beyoncé Knowles Anthony Dent |
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| Certification | RIAA: 2x Platinum
BPI: Gold |
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| Chart positions | ||
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| Destiny's Child singles chronology | ||
| "Independent Women" (2001) |
"Survivor" (2001) |
"Bootylicious" (2001) |
"Survivor," Destiny's Child's signature song, is an R&B song written by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé Knowles, Anthony Dent, and Mathew Knowles for Destiny's Child's third studio album Survivor (2001). It was produced by Beyoncé and Dent, and was released as the album's first single in early 2001 (see 2001 in music). The song reached number one in Ireland, Norway, and the United Kingdom, and entered the top 10 of the majority of the charts it appeard on, making it one of Destiny's Child most successful single releases. The song also won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
The video won the 2001 MTV Video Music Award for "Best R&B Video", and a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Group, Band or Duo ("Survivor"). The opening track of singer-songwriter Jill Sobule's 2004 album The Folk Years 2003-2003 is a cover of the song, and a pseudo-cover of the song also opens rapper Vanilla Ice's 2005 album Platinum Underground.
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[edit] Song information
Lead singer Beyoncé was inspired to write the lyrics for "Survivor" after hearing a radio DJ tease about the fact that three members have left Destiny's Child, much like getting voted off the reality show of the same name. The video is consequently styled to seem like three survivors living on an uninhabited island. The song has proved to be the signature song of Destiny's Child for its powerful message, along with "Say My Name" and "Independent Women (Part I)".
[edit] Controversy
Former group members LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson filed a lawsuit against Beyoncé, Kelly, and former manager Mathew Knowles, claiming that some of the lyrics in "Survivor" violated a previous agreement that prevented either party from dishing the dirt on the other in public. The line from the song which caused the most uproar with the former members was..."You thought I wouldn't sell without you/sold nine million."
[edit] Chart performance
"Survivor" debuted at #43 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the group's second highest(behind lose my breath at #30) debuting single to date and quickly raced up the charts reaching its peak position of #2 within a month. The song also topped the Billboard Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales chart for eight weeks.
"Survivor" was kept off the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by Janet Jackson's single "All For You"; however, it did manage to spend seven consecutive weeks at #2. The song only reached number six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. The single reached number one on the Hot 100 Airplay chart for five consecutive weeks and peaked at number three on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart.
In the United Kingdom, "Survivor" debuted at number one on the singles chart and went on to sell over 260,000 copies. It also topped the singles chart in Ireland, Netherlands, and Japan. Moreover, it held the top position in the United World Tracks Chart for five weeks. It was ranked two in Canada, peaked third in New Zealand, placed in the top 10 in Australia and Germany, and reached number 12 in France.
[edit] Charts
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Argentinian Singles Chart | 9 |
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 7 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 10 |
| Belgium Singles Chart | 5 |
| Brazil Singles Chart | 5 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 2 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 4 |
| French Singles Chart | 12 |
| German Media Control Chart | 8 |
| Greece Singles Chart | 9 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 10 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 3 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 3 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 5 |
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 6 |
| U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 3 |
[edit] Official versions
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[edit] In video games
A cover version of the song appeared in the Nintendo DS game Elite Beat Agents. In the stage in which the song plays, a zombie outbreak has occurred, where people are turned into zombies by kisses. The player has to help a gruff, cheerless worker at a peanut company cure this outbreak using the company's brand of peanuts (which, incidentally, taste awful to everyone except this person) against the zombies.
Beyoncé Knowles • Kelly Rowland • Michelle Williams
LeToya Luckett • LaTavia Roberson • Farrah Franklin
Albums: Destiny's Child (1998) • The Writing's on the Wall (1999) • Survivor (2001)
8 Days of Christmas (2001) • This Is the Remix (2002) • Destiny Fulfilled (2004) • #1's (2005)
