Plastic Off the Sofa
| "Plastic Off the Sofa" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Beyoncé | |
| from the album Renaissance | |
| Released | July 29, 2022 |
| Recorded | 2020-2021 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:14 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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"Plastic Off the Sofa" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her seventh studio album Renaissance. Lauded for its "sun-dappled L.A. sound", "lilting bass and sunny guitars", laidback groove, "glowing neo-soul", and melismatic vocals, the song would later win the Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in 2023, becoming Knowles' third win in the category, tying her with Lalah Hathaway for most wins.[1][2][3][4][5]
Background and composition
“Plastic Off the Sofa” was written by Knowles, Sydney Bennett, Sabrina Claudio, Nick Green, and Patrick Paige II.[6] Variety described the song's lyrical/sonic composition as a "neo-soul ode to her husband that flaunts Beyonce’s signature feathery vocals", as well as "the closest thing to a ballad on Renaissance".[7]
Reception
Wesley Morris of The New York Times lauded the song for its vocal melismas and bassline, described as "waves of rhapsodically long, Olympic-level emissions... [that] seem to emanate from somewhere way beyond a human throat: The ocean? The oven?.. The bass line keeps swelling and curving and blooming till it outgrows its flower bed, and Beyoncé’s voice does, too. It surfs the swells. It smells the roses." [8] On the Rolling Stone list of The 70 Greatest Beyoncé Songs, the song was placed at number twenty.[9] Reviewer Mosi Reeves highlighted the "warm, soulful earthiness" that Beyonce utilized to delve into "a sun-dappled L.A. sound that has defined alternative R&B for the past several years."[9] Vulture (website) compared her "whispery upper register" to Donna Summer, highlighting "airy disco sonics".[10] Slant Magazine characterized the song as "subdued, but moving with a kinetic energy."[11] Both The Los Angelas Times and Stereogum favorably compared the song to standout "Virgo's Groove", with the former publication highlighting their joint "depictions of Black joy... [and] steadfast tenderness that acknowledges its hard-won nature", and the latter stating that "in all of the excitement surrounding the samples and Easter eggs, Beyoncé reminds us that she is, first and foremost, a vocalist, her range shining the most on the comparably subdued 'Plastic Off The Sofa' and 'Virgo's Groove."[12][13]
Covers
Upon the song's release, many vocalists released covers of Knowles' complex vocal runs and melismas, including co-writer Sabrina Claudio, Chloe Bailey, Avery Wilson, Tori Kelly, and Josh Levi, among others.[14]
Belle from K-pop group Kiss of Life also covered the song on Korean Music webseries LeeMujin Service.[15]
Personnel
- Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter – lead vocals, background vocals, producer, vocal producer
- SYD - producer
- Sabrina Claudio - background vocals
- Patrick Paige II - bass guitar
- Derek Renfroe - guitar
- Leven Kali - synthesizer, additional producer
- Stuart White – recording engineer, mixing engineer, vocal recording engineer
- John Cranfield - engineer
- Andrea Roberts - engineer
- Matheus Braz - assistant engineer
- Colin Leonard - mastering engineer
- Tony Maserati - mixing engineer
Charts
| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 89 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[16] | 70 |
| France (SNEP)[17] | 198 |
| UK Singles Chart (OCC)[18] | 56 |
| US Hot 100 (Billboard) | 41 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) | 16 |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Ceremony | Award | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 65th Annual Grammy Awards | Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance | Won | [2] |
References
- ^ Stone, Rolling (April 1, 2024). "The 70 Greatest Beyoncé Songs".
- ^ a b Arcand, Rob (February 5, 2023). "Beyoncé Wins Best Traditional R&B Performance for "Plastic Off the Sofa" at 2023 Grammys". Pitchfork.
- ^ Folk, Antwane (February 6, 2023). "2023 Grammys: Beyoncé's 'Plastic Off The Sofa' Wins Best Traditional R&B Performance".
- ^ Dukes, Will (July 29, 2022). "Beyoncé Hits a Seductive Sweet Spot on 'Renaissance'".
- ^ Joshi, Tara (July 28, 2022). "Beyoncé: Renaissance review – joyous soundtrack to a hot girl summer" – via The Guardian.
- ^ Hussey, Allison (July 20, 2022). "Beyoncé Reveals Tracklist and Composer Credits for New Album Renaissance". Pitchfork.
- ^ Kaplan, Ilana (August 1, 2022). "Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' Is a Cathartic, Club-Inspired Masterpiece: Album Review".
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/30/arts/music/beyonce-renaissance-review.html
- ^ a b Stone, Rolling (April 1, 2024). "The 70 Greatest Beyoncé Songs".
- ^ Curto, Justin (August 2, 2022). "Voguing Our Way Through Renaissance". Vulture.
- ^ Lyons-Burt, Charles (July 29, 2022). "Beyoncé 'Renaissance' Review: A Disco-Trap Trip". Slant Magazine.
- ^ "Review: Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' is a landmark expression of Black joy (and you can dance to it)". Los Angeles Times. July 31, 2022.
- ^ "Premature Evaluation: Beyoncé 'Renaissance'". July 29, 2022.
- ^ "Beyoncé's 'Plastic Off The Sofa' Has Inspired A New Singing Challenge". August 5, 2022.
- ^ Yeo, Gladys (December 20, 2023). "Hear KISS OF LIFE's Belle cover Beyoncé's 'Plastic Off The Sofa'".
- ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
- ^ "Beyonce – {{{song}}}" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
- ^ "Plastic Off the Sofa". Official Charts.
