The group was launched into mainstream recognition following the release of the single "No, No, No". Their best-selling second album,The Writing's on the Wall (1999), spawned the USBillboard Hot 100 number-one singles "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name". Despite critical and commercial success, the group was plagued by internal conflict and legal turmoil, as Roberson and Luckett attempted to split from the group's manager,Mathew Knowles, due to his favoritism of Beyoncé and Rowland. In early 2000, both Roberson and Luckett were replaced by Williams andFarrah Franklin; however, Franklin quit after a few months, leaving the group as atrio.
In 1990,Beyoncé metLaTavia Roberson while in an audition for an all-girl entertainment group.[1] Based inHouston, Texas, they joined a group that performed rap and dance routines on the city's talent show circuit.[2][3]Kelly Rowland, who lived in Beyoncé's house at the time, joined them in 1992.[4][5] Originally named Girl's Tyme, they were eventually reduced to six members, includingTámar Davis and sisters Nikki and Nina Taylor.[6][7] R&B producer Arne Frager flew to Houston to see the group and later brought them to theRecord Plant in Northern California, focusing particularly on Beyoncé's vocals because he believed she had strong personality and vocal ability.[8] Hoping to secure the group a major record deal, Frager's strategy was to debut them onStar Search, then the biggest talent show on national television.[9] They lost the competition because, according to Beyoncé, they chose the wrong type of song—they were rapping instead of singing.[1][10][11]
After the group's defeat, Beyoncé's father,Mathew Knowles, began voluntarilymanaging them.[12] He reduced the lineup to four members, removing Davis and the Taylor sisters, and addingLeToya Luckett in 1993.[13] Aside from spending time at their church in Houston, Girl's Tyme practiced in their backyards and at Headliners Salon, owned by Beyoncé's mother,Tina Knowles. They tested routines in the salon—then located onMontrose Boulevard—sometimes even collecting tips from customers, who would also critique their performances. During the school year, the group performed at local events, and when summer arrived, Mathew set up a "boot camp" to train them in dance and vocal performance.[14] After intensive preparation, they began opening for established R&B acts such asSWV,Dru Hill, andImmature.[1][15] Tina designed the group's stage outfits.[14] Over the early years of their career, Girl's Tyme went through several name changes, becoming Somethin' Fresh, Cliché, the Dolls, Borderline, and Destiny.[16] Under the name Destiny, the group signed withElektra Records, but they were dropped several months later before releasing an album.[12]
We got the word destiny out of theBible, but we couldn't trademark the name, so we added child, which is like a rebirth of destiny.
— Beyoncé speaking on the name of Destiny's Child[17]
The pursuit of a record deal placed strain on the Knowles family; in 1995, Mathew resigned from his job as a medical-equipment salesman, cutting the family's income in half, and Beyoncé’s parents temporarily separated due to the resulting pressure.[12][18] In 1997, the group adopted the name Destiny's Child, based upon a passage in theBook of Isaiah.[19][20] Mathew helped negotiate a record deal withColumbia Records at the urging of Columbia scoutTeresa LaBarbera Whites, and the group signed with the label that same year.[1][2] Before signing with Columbia, they had recorded several tracks inOakland, California, produced byD'wayne Wiggins ofTony! Toni! Toné!.[21] Their major-label debut song, "Killing Time", was selected forthe soundtrack of the filmMen in Black (1997).[22][23]
1997–2000:The Writing's on the Wall and lineup changes
On October 27, 1997, Destiny's Child released their debut single, titled "No, No, No".[24] The remix version of the song, "No, No, No, Pt. 2", was their first major hit, peaking at number three on the USBillboard Hot 100 chart and atop theHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[25][26] The song preceded their debut studio album,Destiny's Child, which was released on February 17, 1998.[27] The album is an R&B andneo soul set, and its production was handled by a range of producers, including Wiggins,Jermaine Dupri,Wyclef Jean, and Corey Rooney.[1][25][28]Destiny's Child peaked at number sixty-seven on theBillboard 200 and number fourteen on theTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[25][29] The album's second single, "With Me" failed to reproduce the success of "No, No, No".[25] Beyoncé consideredDestiny's Child successful but not huge, claiming that it was "too mature" for the group at the time.[25]
In 1998, the group's single "Get on the Bus" appeared on the soundtrack of the romantic dramaWhy Do Fools Fall in Love, and they later made a guest appearance in an episode of thesitcomSmart Guy.[30][31] For their second studio album, Destiny's Child sought to transition from the neo-soul-influenced sound of their debut, enlisting an almost entirely different array of collaborators, includingKevin "She'kspere" Briggs,Kandi Burruss,Missy Elliott,Rodney Jerkins, andLaShawn Daniels.[32][33] The resulting album,The Writing's on the Wall, was released in the US on July 27, 1999, to critical acclaim.[34] The album's lead single, "Bills, Bills, Bills", was released on May 31, 1999, and became Destiny's Child's first song to peak at number one on theBillboard Hot 100.[35][36]The Writing's on the Wall is often deemed Destiny's Child's breakthrough album, spurring their career and introducing them to a wider audience.[14][37]
Michelle Williams joined the group as a replacement for Luckett and Roberson.
In December 1999, Luckett and Roberson attempted split from Mathew, alleging that he kept a disproportionate share of the group's profits and unfairly favored Beyoncé and Rowland. Although they did not intend to leave the group, they discovered that two new members had been added when the video for "Say My Name", the third single fromThe Writing's on the Wall, premiered in February 2000.[1] Before the video aired, Beyoncé announced onTRL that Luckett and Roberson had left the group. They were replaced byMichelle Williams—formerly a backup singer forMonica—andFarrah Franklin, an aspiring singer and actress.[1] After working with Monica, Williams was introduced to Destiny's Child by a choreographer friend and was flown to Houston, where she stayed with the Knowles family.[14]
On March 21, 2000, Roberson and Luckett filed a lawsuit against Mathew Knowles and their former bandmates, alleging breach of partnership and fiduciary duties.[38] Five months after joining, Franklin left Destiny's Child.[39] The remaining members stated that her departure was due to missed promotional appearances and concerts, and Williams later said that Franklin struggled with the stress.[14] Franklin explained that she left because of the negativity surrounding the group's internal conflict and her lack of influence in decision-making. Toward the end of 2000, Roberson and Luckett dropped the portion of their lawsuit targeting Beyoncé and Rowland in exchange for a settlement, though they continued legal action against Mathew.[1]
As part of the agreement, both parties were prohibited from speaking publicly about one another.[1] Roberson and Luckett went on to form another girl group, but they eventually left that project.[40] The heightened publicity largely fueled Destiny's Child's success, helping them become a major pop-culture phenomenon.[2] In 2000, "Say My Name" spent three consecutive weeks at the top of theBillboard Hot 100, and the fourth single, "Jumpin', Jumpin'", peaked at number three.[41][42]The Writing's on the Wall went on to sell over eightmillion copies in the US, earning an eight-time platinum certification from the RIAA.[43][42] Worldwide, it has since sold over 13million copies, making it one of the best-selling R&B albums of all time.[44][33] Around this time, Destiny's Child also opened for major pop stars, includingBritney Spears andChristina Aguilera.[1][45]
2000–2003:Survivor, subsequent releases, hiatus and side projects
With Williams in the new lineup, Destiny's Child released a theme song for the soundtrack to the 2000 filmCharlie's Angels. Released as a single in October 2000, "Independent Women Part 1" spent eleven consecutive weeks atop theBillboard Hot 100 from November 2000 to January 2001,[2] the longest-running number-one single of Destiny's Child's career and of that year in the United States.[46] The successful release of the single boosted the sales of the soundtrack album toCharlie's Angels to 1.5 million by 2001.[47] In 2000, Destiny's Child won Soul Train's Sammy Davis Jr. Entertainer of the Year award.[47]
At the 2001Billboard Music Awards, Destiny's Child won several accolades, including Artist of the Year and Duo/Group of the Year,[48] and again won Artist of the Year among five awards they snagged in 2001.[49] In September 2000, the group took home two at the sixth annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, including R&B/Soul Album of the Year, Group forThe Writing's on the Wall.[50] Destiny's Child recorded their third album,Survivor, from mid-2000 until early 2001. In the production process, Beyoncé assumed more control in co-producing and co-writing almost the entire album.[1][51][52]Survivor hit record stores in the spring of 2001 and entered theBillboard 200 at number one, selling over 663,000 copies in its first week sales.[53][54] The first three singles, "Independent Women Part I", "Survivor" and "Bootylicious" reached the top three in the United States and were also successful in other countries;[1] the first two were consecutive number-one singles in the United Kingdom.[55] The album was certified four-time platinum in the United States[56] and double platinum in Australia.[57] It sold 6 million copies as of July 27, 2001.[58]
In the wake of theSeptember 11 attacks, Destiny's Child canceled a European tour and performed in a concert benefit for the survivors.[1] In October 2001, the group released aholiday album,8 Days of Christmas, which contained updated versions of several Christmas songs.[59] The album managed to reach number thirty-four on theBillboard 200.[53] In February 2001, Destiny's Child won twoGrammy awards for "Say My Name": Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and Best R&B Song.[60] They also earned an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo.[1] Also in 2001, Destiny's Child sang backup vocals forSolange Knowles, who was the lead, on the theme song to the animatedDisney Channel seriesThe Proud Family. In March 2002, aremix compilation titledThis Is the Remix was released to win fans over before a new studio album would be released.[61] The remix album reached number 29 in the United States.[53] The lead single "Survivor" was by some interpreted as a response to the strife between the band members, although Beyoncé claimed it was not directed at anybody. Seeing it as a breach of the agreement that barred each party from public disparagement, Roberson and Luckett once again filed a lawsuit against Destiny's Child andSony Music, shortly following the release ofThis Is the Remix. In June 2002, remaining cases were settled in court.[1]
Beyoncé's sister,Solange, who had recorded songs and performed with Destiny's Child, was reported to be joining the group upon their reunion, but this was later confirmed as only a test of the public's reaction.
In late 2000, Destiny's Child announced their plan to embark on individual side projects, including releases of solo albums,[51] an idea by their manager.[62] In 2002, Williams released her solo album,Heart to Yours, a contemporarygospel collection.[1] The album reached number one on theBillboard Top Gospel Albums chart. In the same dateHeart to Yours hit stores, Destiny's Child released their official autobiography,Soul Survivors.[63] Rowland collaborated withhip hop artistNelly on "Dilemma", which became a worldwide hit and earned Rowland aGrammy;[62] she became the first member of Destiny's Child to have achieved a US number-one single. In the same year, Beyoncé co-starred withMike Myers in the box-office hitAustin Powers in Goldmember. She recorded her first solo single, "Work It Out", for the film's soundtrack.[1] To capitalize on the success of "Dilemma", Rowland's solo debut albumSimply Deep was brought forward from its early 2003 release to September 2002.[64] Rowland's career took off internationally whenSimply Deep hit number one on theUK Albums Chart.[65] In the same year, she made her feature film debut in the horror filmFreddy vs. Jason. Meanwhile, Beyoncé made her second film,The Fighting Temptations, and appeared as featured vocalist on her then-boyfriendJay-Z's single "'03 Bonnie & Clyde", which paved the way for the release of her debut solo album.[66]
Beyoncé's debut album,Dangerously in Love, was postponed many times until being released in June 2003.[64][67] The album used her first name as amononymous stage name. Beyoncé's release was the most commercially successful among the three solo releases.[68]Dangerously in Love debuted at number one on theBillboard 200, selling 317,000 copies.[69] It yielded the number-one hits "Crazy in Love", and "Baby Boy"; and the top-five singles "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl". The album was certified 4× platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[70] It remains Beyoncé's best-selling album to date, with sales of 5 million copies in the United States, as of June 2016.[71][72] Worldwide, the album has sold more than eleven million copies.[73][74] Beyoncé's solo debut was well received by critics, earning fiveGrammy awards in one night forDangerously in Love, tying the likes ofNorah Jones,Lauryn Hill, andAlicia Keys for most Grammys received in one night by a female artist.[75] In November 2003, Williams appeared asAida on Broadway. In January 2004, she released her second gospel album,Do You Know.[1]
D'wayne Wiggins, who had produced their first recordings as Destiny's Child, filed suit in 2002 against his former counsel (Bloom, Hergott, Diemer & Cook LLP) seeking $15 million in damages for lessening his contractual agreement with the group without his consent, effectively nullifying his original contract that offered Sony Music/Columbia Destiny's Child's exclusive recording services for an initial seven years, in exchange for "certain royalties", instead of royalties only from the first three albums. The case was settled for an undisclosed amount.[76] In June 2003, Mathew announced that Destiny's Child would expand back to a quartet, revealing Beyoncé's younger sister,Solange, as the latest addition to the group.[77] Destiny's Child had previously recorded songs with Solange and shared the stage when she temporarily replaced Rowland after she broke her toes while performing. Their manager, however, said the idea was used to test reactions from the public.[78] In August 2003, Beyoncé herself confirmed that her sister would not be joining in the group, and instead promoted Solange's debut album,Solo Star, released in January 2003.[79]
2003–2006:Destiny Fulfilled and#1's
Three years after the hiatus, members of Destiny's Child reunited to record their fourth and final studio album,Destiny Fulfilled.[1] The album introduces the trio to a harder, "urban" sound, and songs featured are conceptually interrelated.[80]Destiny Fulfilled saw equality in the trio:[81] each member contributed to writing on the majority songs,[82] as well as becoming executive producers aside from their manager.[83] Released on November 15, 2004,Destiny Fulfilled failed to topSurvivor; the album reached number two the following week, selling 497,000 copies in its first week, compared to 663,000 for the previous album.[84] Certified three-time platinum in the United States,[56] it was still one of the best-selling albums of 2005, selling over eight million copies worldwide;[73] it pushed the group back into the position of the best-selling female group and American group of the year. Four singles were released from the album: the lead "Lose My Breath", "Soldier", "Cater 2 U" and "Girl"; the first two reached number three in the United States. "Soldier" "Cater 2 U" were certified platinum by the RIAA in 2006.[56]
To promote the album, Destiny's Child embarked on their worldwide concert tour,Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It Tour. On June 11, 2005, while at the Palau Sant Jordi inBarcelona, Spain, the group announced to the audience of 16,000 people that they planned to officially break up once the tour concluded.[85] Beyoncé stated that the album's titleDestiny Fulfilled was not a coincidence and reflected the fact that the breakup was already being planned when the album was being recorded.[86] While making the album, they planned to part ways after their fourteen-year career as a group to facilitate their continued pursuit in individual aspirations. Beyoncé stated that their destinies were already fulfilled.[86] The group sent a letter to MTV about the decision, saying:
We have been working together as Destiny's Child since we were 9 and touring together since we were 14. After a lot of discussions and some deep soul searching, we realized that our current tour has given us the opportunity to leave Destiny's Child on a high note, united in our friendship and filled with overwhelming gratitude for our music, our fans, and each other. After all these wonderful years working together, we realized that now is the time to pursue our personal goals and solo efforts in earnest...No matter what happens, we will always love each other as friends and sisters and will always support each other as artists. We want to thank all of our fans for their incredible love and support and hope to see you all again as we continue fulfilling our destinies. —Destiny's Child, MTV[85]
Destiny's Child released their greatest hits album,#1's, on October 25, 2005. The compilation includes their number-one hits including "Independent Woman Part 1", "Say My Name" and "Bootylicious". Three new tracks were recorded for the compilation including "Stand Up for Love", which was recorded for the theme song to the World Children's Day, and "Check on It", a song Beyoncé recorded forThe Pink Panther's soundtrack.[87] Record producerDavid Foster, his daughterAmy Foster-Gillies and Beyoncé wrote "Stand Up for Love" as the anthem to the WorldChildren's Day, an annual worldwide event to raise awareness and funds for children causes. Over the past three years, more than $50 million have been raised to benefitRonald McDonald House Charities and other children's organizations. Destiny's Child lent their voices and support as global ambassadors for the 2005 program.[88]#1's was also released as aDualDisc, featuring the same track listing, seven videos of selected songs and a trailer of the concert DVDLive in Atlanta.[87] The DVD was filmed during theAtlanta visit of theDestiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin' It tour, and was released on March 28, 2006. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA, denoting shipments of over one million units.[56] Notwithstanding the album title, only five of the album's 16 tracks had reached number one on either theBillboard Hot 100 or theHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart; writer Keith Caulfield ofBillboard magazine suggested that the title was "a marketing angle".[89] Despite this, journalist Chris Harris of MTV said that the album "lives up to its name".[90]
Disbandment and aftermath
Destiny's Child reunited for a farewell performance at the2006 NBA All-Star Game on February 19, 2006, inHouston, Texas; however, Beyoncé commented, "It's the last album, but it's not the last show."[91][92] Their final televised performance was at theFashion Rocks benefit concert in New York a few days later.[91] On March 28, 2006, Destiny's Child was inducted into theHollywood Walk of Fame, the 2,035th recipient of the coveted recognition.[93] At the 2006BET Awards, Destiny's Child won Best Group, a category they also earned in 2005 and 2001.[94]
After their formal disbandment, all members resumed their solo careers, each experiencing different levels of success. Since then, Beyoncé, Rowland, and Williams have continued to collaborate on each other's solo projects through song features, music video appearances, and live performances. Both Rowland and Williams, along with Beyoncé's sisterSolange, appeared in Beyoncé's music video for her single "Get Me Bodied" (2007). On June 26, 2007, the group made a mini-reunion at the 2007 BET Awards, where Knowles performed "Get Me Bodied" with Williams and Solange as her back-up dancers. After her performance, Beyoncé introduced Rowland who performed her single "Like This" (2007) withEve.[95] On the September 2, 2007, Los Angeles stop ofThe Beyoncé Experience tour, Beyoncé sang a snippet of "Survivor" with Rowland and Williams, and the latter two rendered a "Happy Birthday" song to Beyoncé. The performance was featured in Beyoncé's tour DVD,The Beyoncé Experience Live.[96] In 2008, Beyoncé recorded a cover ofBilly Joel's "Honesty" for Destiny's Child's compilation albumMathew Knowles & Music World Present Vol.1: Love Destiny, which was released only in Japan to celebrate the group's tenth anniversary.[97][98]
Rowland made a cameo appearance in Beyoncé's music video for her single "Party" (2011),[99][100] and the group's third compilation album,Playlist: The Very Best of Destiny's Child, was released in 2012 to mark the fifteenth anniversary since their formation.[101] The fourth compilation album,Love Songs, was released on January 29, 2013, and included the newly recorded song "Nuclear", produced byPharrell Williams.[102] "Nuclear" marked the first original music from Destiny's Child in eight years. The following month, Rowland and Williams appeared as special guests for Beyoncé'sSuper Bowl XLVII halftime show, where they performed "Bootylicious", "Independent Women" and Beyoncé's own song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".[103] A video album titledDestiny's Child Video Anthology was released in May 2013 and featured sixteen of the group's music videos.[104] Beyoncé and Williams were then featured on Rowland's song "You Changed" from her fourth solo albumTalk a Good Game (2013).[105] Later that year, Rowland and Williams made cameo appearances in the music videos for Beyoncé's songs "Superpower" and "Grown Woman", which were both included on herself-titled fifth solo visual album.[106][107] Williams released the single "Say Yes" in June 2014, featuring Beyoncé and Rowland.[108] They performed "Say Yes" together during the 2015Stellar Awards, and the live version of the song was mastered foriTunes in April 2015.[109] On November 7, 2016, the group reunited in a video to try theMannequin Challenge, which was posted on Rowland's officialInstagram account.[110] The group reunited for Beyoncé's headline performance atCoachella in April 2018; the show was filmed and released as theHomecoming documentary andhomonymous live album.[111] The group reunited again for the closing night of Beyoncé'sCowboy Carter Tour in July 2025.[112]
Artistry
Musical style and themes
Destiny's Child recordedR&B songs with styles that encompassurban,contemporary, anddance-pop.[113] In the group's original lineup, Beyoncé was the lead vocalist, Rowland was the second lead vocalist, Luckett was onsoprano, and Roberson was onalto.[114][115] Beyoncé remained as the lead vocalist in the group's final lineup as a trio, however, Rowland and Williams also took turns in singing lead for the majority of their songs.[14][116] Destiny's Child has cited R&B singerJanet Jackson,En Vogue[117] andTLC[118] as their influences.[119] Ann Powers ofThe New York Times described Destiny's Child music as "fresh and emotional ... these ladies have the best mixes, the savviest samples and especially the most happening beats."[120] In the same publication, Jon Pareles noted that the sound that defines Destiny's Child, aside from Beyoncé's voice, "is the way its melodies jump in and out of double-time. Above brittle,syncopated rhythm tracks, quickly articulated verses alternate with smoother choruses."[121] The group usually harmonize their vocals in their songs, especially on the ballads. In most instances of their songs, each member sings one verse and chimes in at the chorus.[116] In their third albumSurvivor (2001), each member sings lead in the majority of the songs.[14] Beyoncé said, "... everybody is a part of the music ... Everybody is singing lead on every song, and it's so great—because now Destiny's Child is at the point vocally and mentally that it should be at."[122] Beyoncé, however, completely led songs like "Brown Eyes" and "Dangerously in Love 2". The group explored themes of sisterhood and women's empowerment in songs such as "Independent Women" and "Survivor", but have also been criticized for the anti-feminist message of songs such as "Cater 2 U" and "Nasty Girl".[123][124][125]
Survivor contains themes interpreted by the public as a reference to the group's internal conflict. The title track, "Survivor", which set the theme used throughout the album,[14] features the lyrics "I'm not gonna blast you on the radio ... I'm not gonna lie on you or your family ... I'm not gonna hate you in the magazine" caused Roberson and Luckett to file a lawsuit against the group; the lyrics were perceived to be a violation over their agreement following a settlement in court.[1] In an interview, Beyoncé commented: "The lyrics to the single 'Survivor' are Destiny's Child's story because we've been through a lot, ... We went through our drama with the members ... Any complications we've had in our 10-year period of time have made us closer and tighter and better."[14] In another song called "Fancy", which contains the lyrics "You always tried to compete with me, girl ... find your own identity", was interpreted by critic David Browne, in his review of the album forEntertainment Weekly magazine, as a response to the lawsuit.[126] Stephen Thomas Erlewine ofAllMusic summarizedSurvivor as "a determined, bullheaded record, intent on proving Destiny's Child has artistic merit largely because the group survived internal strife. ... It's a record that tries to be a bold statement of purpose, but winds up feeling forced and artificial."[127] Despite the album's receiving critical praise, Beyoncé's close involvement has occasionally generated criticism. Beyoncé wrote and co-produced the bulk ofSurvivor.[14] Browne suggested that her help madeSurvivor a "premature, but inevitable, growing pains album".[126] In the majority of the songs on their final studio albumDestiny Fulfilled (2004), the verses are divided into three sections, with Beyoncé singing first, followed by Rowland, then Williams; the three harmonize together during the choruses.[116]
Destiny's Child were compared toThe Supremes, a 1960s Americanfemale singing group, with Beyoncé being compared to Supremes frontwomanDiana Ross; Beyoncé, however, has dismissed the notion.[81] Coincidentally, Beyoncé starred in the film adaptation of the 1981Broadway musicalDreamgirls as Deena Jones, the frontwoman of the Dreams, a female singing group based on the Supremes. With Beyoncé's wide role assumed in the production ofSurvivor, Gil Kaufman of MTV noted that "it became clear that Beyoncé was emerging as DC's unequivocal musical leader and public face".[1] Her dominance to the creative input in the album made the album "very much her work".[126] For Lola Ogunnaike ofThe New York Times, "It's been a long-held belief in the music industry that Destiny's Child was little more than a launching pad for Beyoncé Knowles' inevitable solo career."[128]
In the wake of Beyoncé's debut solo albumDangerously in Love (2003), rumors spread about a possible split of Destiny's Child after each member had experienced solo success and had ongoing projects.[85][129] Comparisons were drawn toJustin Timberlake, who did not return to bandNSYNC after his breakthrough debut solo album,Justified.[1][129] Rowland responded to such rumors, announcing they were back in the studio together.[130] The group claimed that the reunion was destined to happen[1] and that their affinity to each other kept them cohesive.[80] Margeaux Watson, arts editor atSuede magazine, suggested that Beyoncé "does not want to appear disloyal to her former partners," and called her decision to return to the group "a charitable one".[128] Beyoncé's mother, Tina, wrote a 2002-published book, titledDestiny's Style: Bootylicious Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle Secrets From Destiny's Child, an account of how fashion influenced Destiny's Child's success.[131]
Destiny's Child have been referred to as R&B icons,[132] and have sold more than 60 million records worldwide.[133][134] Following the disbandment of Destiny's Child,MTV News writer James Montgomery noted that "they have left a fairly sizable legacy behind" as "one of thebest-selling female pop vocal groups in history."[135]Billboard observed that Destiny's Child were "defined by a combination of feisty female empowerment anthems, killer dance moves and an enviable fashion sense,"[136] whileEssence noted that they "set trends with their harmonious music and cutting-edge style."[137] In 2015, Daisy Jones ofDazed published an article on how the group made a significant impact in R&B music, writing "Without a hint of rose tint, Destiny's Child legitimately transformed the sound of R&B forever... their distinct influence can be found peppered all over today's pop landscape, fromTinashe toAriana Grande."[138] Nicole Marrow ofThe Cut magazine believed that R&B music in the 1990s and early 2000s "was virtually redefined by the success of powerhouse performers likeTLC and Destiny's Child, who preached a powerful litany of embracing womanhood and celebrating individuality."[139] Hugh McIntyre ofForbes wrote that beforeThe Pussycat Dolls andDanity Kane burst onto the music scene in the mid-2000s, Destiny's Child were "the reigning queens" of the girl group genre.[140]
Writing forPitchfork, Katherine St. Asaph noticed how Destiny's Child defined the revival of girl groups similar toThe Supremes in the early-to-mid-1990s, saying:
There is no better microcosm of what happened to Top 40 music between 1993 and 1999 than this. Bands like the "Star Search" winner were buried in a landfill of post-grunge, while R&B groups built out from soul and quiet storm to create a sound innovative enough to earn the "futuristic" label almost everything got in that pre-Y2K time. This bore itself out in the revival in the early-to-mid-’90s of excellent girl groups vaguely in the Supremes mold—TLC, En Vogue, SWV—but it would be Destiny's Child who would become their true successors.[141]
Destiny's Child's final lineup as a trio has been widely noted as the group's most recognizable and successful lineup.[142][143]Billboard recognized them as one of the greatest musical trios of all time; they were also ranked as the third most successful girl group of all time on theBillboard charts, behind TLC and The Supremes.[136][144] The magazine ranked Destiny's Child at number 17 on its 2025 "Top 100 Women Artists of the 21st Century" list.[145] The group's single "Independent Women" (2000) ranked second onBillboard's list of the "Top 40 Biggest Girl Group Songs of All Time on theBillboard Hot 100 Chart".[146] "Independent Women" was also acknowledged by theGuinness World Records as the longest-running number-one song on the Hot 100 by a girl group.[147] The term "Bootylicious" (a combination of the wordsbooty and delicious) became popularized by Destiny's Child's single of the same and was later added to theOxford English Dictionary in 2006.[148] The term was also used to describe Beyoncé during the 2000s decade due to her curvaceous figure.[149][150]VH1 included "Bootylicious" on their "100 Greatest Songs of the '00s" list in 2011, and Destiny's Child on their "100 Greatest Women in Music" list the following year.[151][152] Additionally, "Independent Women" was ranked as one ofNME's "100 Best Songs of the 00s".[153] Destiny's Child was honored at the2005 World Music Awards with the World's Best Selling Female Group of All Time Award, which included a 17-minute tribute performance byPatti LaBelle,Usher,Babyface,Rihanna,Amerie andTeairra Mari.[154][155] In 2006, the group was awarded a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.[93]
Destiny's Child has been credited as a musical influence or inspiration by various artists including Rihanna,[156][157]Meghan Trainor,[158]Fifth Harmony,[159]Little Mix,[160]Girls Aloud,[161][162]Haim,[162][163]Jess Glynne,[164]Katy B,[162][165] andRichGirl.[166]Ciara was inspired to pursue a career in music after seeing Destiny's Child perform on television.[167] Ariana Grande cited Destiny's Child as one of her vocal inspirations, saying that listening to the group's music is how she discovered her range and "learned about harmonies and runs and ad-libs."[168]Meghan Trainor stated that her single "No" (2016) was inspired by the late 1990s and early 2000s sounds of Destiny's Child,NSYNC, andBritney Spears.[169] Fifth Harmony cited Destiny's Child as their biggest inspiration, and even paid tribute to the group by performing a medley of "Say My Name", "Independent Women", "Bootylicious" and "Survivor" on the television showGreatest Hits.[170] Fifth Harmony also incorporated elements of the intro from "Bootylicious" for the intro to their own song "Brave, Honest, Beautiful" (2015).[171]
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