Review: Beyoncé - Bday




 I’m actually very excited to review this album! I would say this is one of the most essential albums to understand me as a person. I was 9 when this album released, I have such a fond memory of my sister’s and I piling into my mother’s room to watch TRL world premier. It quite literally changed my life.


This was her sophomore album released August 31st 2006 funny enough. Honestly, when you look this up it has like 4 release dates but, lets just say it released on her birthday September 4th 2006. B’Day is known as a fan favorite and a lot of people always keep this in their top 3, BUT back in 2006 this was a little more polarizing. With the album being recorded in 2 weeks and back to back schedules from the recording of the final Destiny’s Child album and Dreamgirls, a lot of fans felt it was rushed and sloppy. BEYHive even jokes that Beyoncé hates this album and I’m gonna give my opinion! This review will be sort of lengthy but stay with me!


(I will be covering the original Bday album, NOT the Deluxe but this will be written with the Deluxe in mind. This is one of the few albums where the Deluxe almost completely changed the order of tracks.)



  1. Deja Vu feat Jay-Z: This song is the equivalent of getting hit in the back of the head with a metal bat at a drive thru. The moment you hear that bass, you know you’re in for something special. This song was a single that released a couple months before the album so by time you listened to the album you were already gagging. Her vocals have matured tremendously, she seems almost more confident in her singing on this. For this song and the rest of the album, she used live instruments which you can hear very clearly, they stand out even more because at this time everyone was trying to cut corners. Now Jay-Z is on this song and apparently he was a later addition. Say what you want, but his rap really does bring it together. It’s the calm before the bridge. Amazing 1st track. You can feel the stress in the music. 10/10
  2. Get me Bodied: This cookout classic almost feels like the true first track of the album whereas Deja Vu was an aggressive prologue. The song starts off with her counting down the dates of her birthday until Swizz Beats comes in with the “aye aye aye”. This song is interesting to me because it almost feels as if it’s about (5) quick songs that just keep looping with new lyrics, almost like the 12 days of Christmas. The layering in this doesn’t get enough credit. Me Myself and I layering for a dance track is sort insane. This version almost feels wrong to listen to. Once the deluxe released, I don’t think a single soul has listened to the original shortened version. When I relistened I literally froze like oh that’s it? (8/10)
  3. Suga Mama: Ok at this point in the album it’s like damn she still going?!? Definitely sort of a troll song. “Damn that was so good, I wanna buy him a short set” ?!?!?. Beyoncé likes to set a fantasy sometimes and I love it. Because her 25 year old ass was nobodies Suga Mama. The guitar in this is really good, really gives you that early rock/funk vibe. The climax is one of my favorites. The adlibs are just so silly like “TAKE MY CARRRR”. (7/10)
  4. Upgrade U: Honestly pacing wise I think it was time for a slower song but this song is another one on the album that most of the general public knows, at least Zillenials and up. This song is good but the production of this one seems a bit “cheaper” than the rest of the songs so far. The beginning clap is the slightest off beat which bothers the fuck out of me, and this may be on purpose but it bothers me every time I listen to it. The lyrics are by far her corniest but “I can do for you what Martin did for the people” is actually so nutty I have to stan. Vocally it’s fine but honestly I felt like Suga Mama was more interesting in that area. Jay-Z on this was…comical. The way he tries to sing at the end where he says “mama let Upgrade Uuuu..” he needs to never do that again. Overall, song was not the best out of what we have heard (7/10)
  5. Ring the Alarm: I forgot to mention, months after the Deluxe version was released, she also put out Irreemplazable which were songs from Bday in Spanish plus a few remixes, so when I hear this song all I can think of is “SUENA LA ALARMA!!”. I loveeee this song, it’s so violent and aggressive. This is such a solid song. The instrumentals in this sound so clear it almost feels like this was definitely recorded on a different day than the earlier tracks and that’s just speculation but this song sounds fresh. This song kind of puts Upgrade U to shame. They have a lot of similar elements but this one tops it easily. I will say this song is like a driveby as it’s barely 3 minutes long. It ends at about 3:04 and the rest is just the siren and some clapping. (8/10)
  6. Kitty Kat: We’re going into the perfect trifecta. These next three songs I think are the perfect set of songs and in perfect order. I also think she’s aware of it because I feel like she barely touches these songs. This is the first “mellow” song we have heard and we are six songs in. It’s VERY refreshing. For this track, she dipped into her Destiny’s Child version of herself. The hi hat in this is used so subtly to the point it starts to give “synthesizer” a little bit. The chorus is addictive and smooth showing off a lot of vocal prowess but not having to belt in your face. It’s a 10 out of 10….Quite frankly (10/10)
  7. Freakum Dress: TO BE, OR NOT TO BE…NOT. This song is loud in the best way. Now yes the entire album is loud as fuck, but this song gives you a nice build up into the chorus. You can almost feel the pre chorus making you feel the beat from your feet all the way up to your head until you “explode”. This is the song in the car that gets you a ticket. Phenomenal! (10/10)
  8. Green Light: this song is really fun because she’s singing with herself. Production wise it’s very clear and cohesive. On Suga Mama some of the instruments kind of got jumbled together which audio wise kind of is hell to listen to if you don’t have expensive headphones. That’s not something I personally think is a horrible thing, but it’s something to note I feel. But I will give it mama…(10/10)
  9. Irreplaceable: You wouldn’t believe the amount of people who think this song is from Sasha Fierce, and I’m not sure why. The guitar rift in this does some heavy lifting. The second half of the album pacing is really good. I also like songs that are a bit more empowering in this context so a song about a woman standing up for herself and kicking her man out is needed on this album. Song is overplayed but it’s for good reason. Not the best but very good. (7/10)
  10. Resentment: This was originally a song by Victoria Beckham, and honestly that makes sense. She’s lowkey the queen of going through it. Safe to say Beyoncé knocked this out the PARK. Arrangement wise it’s not that different from the original but the vocals on this really elevates this and turns it into a new song which is how you do a cover correctly. (9/10)
  11. Encore for the Fans: not really a song but it was really cute to have this. Beyoncé does this song where she almost cannot admit how personal something is without mentioning others or the masses. Her addition of “all of you women can relate to the lyrics” kind of wasn’t needed but I love hearing her just speak and be human. (N/A)
  12. Listen: I’m actually very glad she added this song. It honestly fits with the theme and the progression of the album. Dream girls itself is just an amazing musical. Beyoncé kind of held her voice back a lot in the film so Listen was a nice song to let her “take her jacket off” finally and really BLOW. 


Overall: This album is very special. She has not had an album where most of the songs are immediately recognized like this except maybe Self-Titled. Rushed or not, it’s still very impressive. Where the album lacked, it was soon fixed in the deluxe version which helped with the pacing and album theme. 


I give B’Day by Beyoncé 

GP: 10/10 - the year 2025

PT: 8/10 the Deluxe version gets a 10/10


Also wonder what happened to this person LOL



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