Why Beyonce Isn't Iconic

Hello, I'm Ryan. I work a shitty day job and in between serving yuppies caramel macchiatos and wiping smeared ketchup off plates, I daydream and fanboy over today's musicians. I’ll probably never get to share a milkshake with Kanye West or play dress up with Lady Gaga, but I would like to be able to ask Justin Timberlake to start "bringing sexy back".

Teenage Fanclubbing #2 - Hold up, Beyonce isn't an icon yet.

Let it be known that I don’t hate Beyonce. I quite like her. When she played at Glastonbury the other year, I dragged my mud encrusted soul up to the Pyramid Stage and begrudgingly slummed through her set. I sat on the floor, half because I felt depressingly ill and half because I was kinda bummed about missing The Streets last ever performance. By the end, I was singing her praises. I was “Crazy In Love”. I pointed to the left and I wiggled my finger as though I wanted a ring put on it.

Recently, there has been a lot of fanfare about Beyonce. Last week, upon discovery that Bey may have mimed the national anthem, the world’s media furiously tapped into their keyboards. Is this music’s Lance Armstrong moment? Did Beyonce betray us all? They typed, as news of lip-sync gate broke. Personally, I think that it’s the most rule breaking, exciting thing she’s ever done.

Beyonce is not iconic.

She’s a great singer and she’s a great performer. But she’s not a black-and-white poster icon. Beyond the crevices of great pop music who is Beyonce and what does she represent above the surface?

It’s been almost ten years since B launched herself as a solo artist, yet it’s almost impossible to point out anything unique that applies to her. Sure, she can shake her booty and she can call arms to all the "Single Ladies" - which, by the way, was composed by Tricky, explaining the bizarre onstage Glasto appearance - but it all feels like Play-Doh. Outside composers mushing together Beyonce's beautiful image with the pulp of listenable pop music. When I listen to great music, I can feel it. I feel as though I’m taking pills with Dylan, like I’m sat in a smokey lounge with Winehouse and as if I’m about to go ride through Brooklyn with Jigga. When I listen to Beyonce, I just feel like I’m sat in a Radio One studio about to tuck into an overpriced sandwich from Pret with Nick Grimshaw.

It’s hard to pin a direct cultural moment unto Beyonce. Sure, the Glasto performance was great. But where’s the defining moment? The breakthrough song? Look to other female legends, and they’ve all got theirs. Winehouse poured her heart out on Frank. Whitney Houston broke about every music world record ever with“I Will Always Love You” and Madonna redefined just about everything.

Alongside sculpting great pop moments, these women had character. At some point, they all went bat-shit crazy. I’m not saying Beyonce has to release an album of crack slewing joints before she’s the real deal. But, I am saying she’s a bit monochromatic. She paints the colour of booty shaking and she holds the palette of female emotion. Yet, it’s all a little primary. Where are the secondary or tertiary colours to her personality?

We’re deprived of an emotional connection through her music. We’re not connected to the substance of Beyonce. We’re connected to her perfect media image, a couple of good songs, and a girl group.

Beyonce is seemingly happy inside her box. She’s comfortable there and she likes it. She won’t be tearing down the walls or scrawling graffiti on the wallpaper. Instead, she releases generic based love song after generic based dance song, so on and so forth.

Bowie taught us about Ziggy Stardust, Fleetwood Mac burnt through their bridges on Rumors and Biggie proclaimed that he was Ready To Die. These albums not only showcased character, but consistently pushed the envelope.

Beyonce does not have a classic album. She’s openly admitted that “B Day” and “I Am…” are not classics. Right through from “Dangerously In Love” to “4” Beyonce has dropped airplay-centered, single-heavy records. They’re good. But she hasn’t reached THAT mark just yet.

Does Beyonce represent society’s want for a female iconic figure? She’s certainly a strong female role-model. But I’m certain that "Irreplaceable" won’t be the theme song to co-habited breakups in ten years time, unlike Winehouse's ode to coke habit rehabilitation schemes. Is Beyonce simply just a great pop star, with little to offer beyond the precipice of good music? Or, do I need to STFU and stop thinking about it?

Follow Ryan on Twitter @RyanBassil