Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes

Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes is a remix and video album by American singer Beyoncé. It was released on June 16, 2009 through Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment exclusively to Walmart and J&R, although it was later made available through other retailers. Consisting of two discs, the album features music videos on one disc and dance remixes on the other. Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes peaked at number thirty-five on the US Billboard 200, and received generally favorable reviews from music critics. It also appeared on US Billboard's component charts, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Dance/Electronic Albums. The remix version of "Ego" included on the album, featuring Kanye West, was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards (2010).

Above and Beyoncé
Remix album / video album by Beyoncé
Released	June 16, 2009
Recorded	2008–2009
Genre	Dance electronica R&B
Length	51:10 (video collection) 50:04 (dance mixes)
Label	Columbia Music World
Director	Jake Nava Beyoncé Knowles Sophie Muller Melina Matsoukas Philip Andelman Ed Burke
Producer	Beyoncé Knowles Toby Gad Tricky Stewart The-Dream Bangladesh Sean Garrett Ryan Tedder Stargate Blac Elvis Harold Lilly Jim Jonsin Wayne Wilkins Rico Love Maurice Joshua DJ Escape Tony Coluccio Achilles Sparta Péter Krajczár Dave Audé James Cruz OK DAC Harlan Pepper & AG III
Beyoncé chronology
I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008) Above and Beyoncé (2009) I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas (2009)
Beyoncé video chronology
The Beyoncé Experience Live (2007) Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes (2009) I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas (2009)

Background and content

Above and Beyoncé comprises two discs. The first contains the music videos of six of the singles from her 2008 studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce: "If I Were a Boy", "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "Diva", "Halo", Broken-Hearted Girl" and "Ego". It also features a "fan exclusive" cut of the "Ego" video and behind-the-scenes footage of the shooting of the videos. The second disc hosts electronica dance remixes of the songs,[1][2] as well as of the album's sixth single, "Sweet Dreams". A mix of "Ego" with a rap verse from Kanye West closes the album.

Release and artwork

On June 15, 2009, the behind-the-scenes footage was broadcast on BET's Access Granted.[3][4] The remix video for "Ego" premiered afterwards.[4] The cover art of Above and Beyoncé was previewed by People magazine in May 2009.[5] The album was originally released exclusively to Walmart and J&R, on June 16, 2009.[6] The dance mixes only were made available via MP3 format through Amazon Music the same day,[7] and the whole album was released to the online store on November 3, 2009.[8] The iTunes Store began selling the remixes on February 1, 2010.[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[10]

AllMusic's Andy Kellman called the album "a nice set for devoted fans who haven't already shelled out for all the mixes", and awarded it three out of five stars.[10] In 2011, Maura Gavaghan, writing for MTV, said: "The creative title of this video album alone is a reason for every devoted fan... to buy a copy".[11] She added that the dance remixes of the songs make a "dance party in a neatly packaged DVD set".[11]

Commercial performance

Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes debuted at number thirty-six on the US Billboard 200 chart dated July 4, 2009,[12] selling 14,000 copies that week.[13] It later peaked at number thirty-five, spending fourteen weeks on the chart.[14][15] On the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes debuted[16] and peaked at number twenty-three, spending forty-three weeks on the chart.[17] Among the US Dance/Electronic Albums, the album debuted at number two, placing below Lady Gaga's debut studio album The Fame (2008).[18] It spent a total of forty-eight weeks on the chart, including twenty-four weeks in the top ten.[19] Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes was ranked at number nine on the year-end US Dance/Electronic Albums for 2009,[20] and at number twenty-one for 2010.[21]

Track listing

Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes – Disc one (Video Collection)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Director(s)	Length
1.	"If I Were a Boy"	Toby Gad BC Jean	Jake Nava	5:06
2.	"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"	Tricky Stewart The-Dream Kuk Harrell Beyoncé Knowles	Nava	3:19
3.	"Diva"	Knowles Bangladesh Sean Garrett	Melina Matsoukas	4:06
4.	"Halo"	Knowles Ryan Tedder E. Kidd Bogart	Philip Andelman	3:45
5.	"Broken-Hearted Girl"	Babyface Mikkel Eriksen Tor Erik Hermansen Knowles	Sophie Muller	4:40
6.	"Ego" (Remix featuring Kanye West)	Blac Elvis Harold Lilly Knowles	Knowles Frank Gatson Jr.	4:53
7.	"Ego" (Fan exclusive)	Williams Lilly Knowles	Knowles Gatson Jr.	3:57
8.	"Behind the Scenes: the Videos"		Ed Burke	19:02

Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes – Disc two (Dance Mixes)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"If I Were a Boy" (Maurice Joshua Mojo UK Remix)	Gad Jean	Gad Knowles Joshua^[a]	6:29
2.	"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" (DJ Escape & Tony Coluccio Remix – Club Version)	Stewart The-Dream Harrell Knowles	Stewart The-Dream Knowles DJ Escape^[a] Tony Coluccio^[a]	6:57
3.	"Diva" (Karmatronic Club Remix)	Knowles Bangladesh Garrett	Bangladesh Garrett Knowles Achilles Sparta^[a] Péter Krajczár^[a]	5:08
4.	"Halo" (Dave Audé Club Remix)	Knowles Tedder Bogart	Tedder Knowles Audé	8:55
5.	"Broken-Hearted Girl" (Catalyst Remix)	Babyface Eriksen Hermansen Knowles	Stargate Knowles James Cruz^[a]	4:46
6.	"Ego" (OK DAC Remix)	Blac Elvis Lilly Knowles	Blac Elvis Lilly Knowles OK DAC^[a]	6:29
7.	"Sweet Dreams" (Harlan Pepper & AG III Remix)	Knowles Jim Jonsin Wayne Wilkins Rico Love	Jonsin Wilkins Love Knowles Harlan Pepper & AG III Remix^[a]	6:43
8.	"Ego" (Remix featuring Kanye West)	Blac Elvis Lilly Knowles	Blac Elvis Lilly Knowles	4:44

Notes

• ^a – denotes a remixer.

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic and Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes's liner notes.[22][23][24]

• Kory Aaron – assistance
• Damien Alexander – artists and repertoire
• Phillip Andelman – direction
• Dave Audé – production, remixing
• Babyface – writing
• Christian Baker – assistance
• Bangladesh – writing
• Tim Blacksmith – management
• E. Kidd Bogart – writing
• Ed Burke – direction
• Domenic Capello – mixing
• Jim Caruana – engineering, vocal engineering
• Fusako Chubachi – art direction
• Tony Coluccio – remixing
• Tom Coyne – mastering
• James Cruz – mastering
• Kim Dellara – executive production
• DJ Escape – remixing
• The-Dream – writing
• Mikkel Storleer Eriksen – engineering, instrumentation, writing
• Jens Gad – drums
• Toby Gad – arrangement, engineering, production, instrumentation, writing
• Tim Gant – keyboards
• Sean Garrett – writing
• Alan Gordon – engineering
• Matt Green – assistance
• Kuk Harrell – engineering, writing
• Matt Hennessy – engineering
• Ty Hunter – stylist
• Jim Jonsin – production
• Maurice Joshua – remixing
• Grant Jue – production
• Chris Kantrowitz – executive production
• Anthony Kilhoffer – vocal engineering
• Kimberly Kimble – hair stylist
• Juli Knapp – artists and repertoire
• Beyoncé – executive production, production, writing, vocals vocal production
• Mathew Knowles – executive production
• Tina Knowles – creative consultant
• Melissa Larsen – production
• Harold Lilly – production, writing
• Peter Lindbergh – photography
• Rico Love – producer, writing, vocals, vocal production
• Philip Margiziotis – horn
• Melina Matsoukas – direction
• Jake McKim – artists and repertoire
• Michael Paul Miller – assistance
• Sophie Muller – director
• Jake Nava – director
• Jeff Pantaleo – executive production
• Dave Pensado – mixing
• Jim Jonsin – writing
• Hagai Shaham – production
• Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing
• Tricky Stewart – writing
• Ryan Tedder – arrangement, engineering, instrumentation, production, writing
• Francesca Tolot – make-up
• Lidell Townsell – keyboards
• Jennifer Turner – marketing
• Randy Urbanski – assistance
• Miles Walker – engineering
• Wayne Wilkins – production, writing
• Blac Elvis – writing
• Dontae Winslow – trumpet
• John Winter – production
• Andrew Wuepper – assistance

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2009) Peak position scope="row" US Billboard 200[25] 35 scope="row" US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[26] 2 scope="row" US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[27] 23

Year-end charts Chart (2009) Position US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[20] 9 Chart (2010) Position US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[21] 21

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Japan	June 16, 2009	CD+DVD (Walmart and J&R exclusive)	Sony Music	[28][29]
United States		Digital download (Dance Mixes only) CD+DVD (Walmart and J&R exclusive)	Columbia Music World	[7][6]
Germany	June 18, 2009	CD+DVD (Walmart and J&R exclusive)	Sony Music	[30][31]
Canada	August 18, 2009			[32]
	November 3, 2009	CD+DVD		[33]
United Kingdom			RCA	[34][35]
United States			Columbia Music World	[8]
Austria	February 1, 2010	Digital download (iTunes Store exclusive; dance mixes only)	Sony Music	[36]
Canada				[37]
Switzerland				[38]
United States			Columbia Music World	[9]

References

1. Rodriguez, Jayson (May 20, 2009). "Beyonce Knew The Perfect Person To Remix 'Ego': Kanye West!". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
2. Cline, Georgette (May 27, 2010). "Beyoncé Goes Above & Beyond with Dance Album". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
3. "Beyoncé". Access Granted. June 15, 2009. Black Entertainment Television. BET Networks.
4. "'Ego' Remix Video Premieres on Special BET Access Granted!" (Press release). Beyoncé's Official Website. June 15, 2009. Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
5. Orloff, Brian (May 20, 2009). "First Look: Beyoncé's New DVD Cover Revealed!". People. Time Inc. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
6. "Beyoncé to Release Above And Beyonce Video Collection & Dance Mixes!" (Press release). Beyoncé's Official Website. May 26, 2009. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012.
7. "Above And Beyoncé Dance Mixes". Amazon.com (US). Retrieved March 11, 2011.
8. "Above & Beyonce Video Collection & Dance Mixes". Amazon.com (US). Retrieved March 11, 2011.
9. "Above and Beyoncé – Dance Mixes". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
10. Kellman, Andy. "Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
11. Gavaghan, Maura (October 31, 2011). "Must-Have Items To Be A True Beyonce Stan". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
12. "Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. July 4, 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
13. "Dancing Diva". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 121 (26): 53. July 4, 2009. ISSN 0006-2510.
14. "Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes – Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
15. "Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 29 March 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011. Note: To interpret the number of weeks in the chart, the user must navigate the visualizer, which can be launched on the left of the screen.
16. "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. July 4, 2009. Archived from the original on 30 March 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
17. "Beyoncé: Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
18. "Dance/Electronic Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. July 4, 2009. Archived from the original on 29 March 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
19. "Beyoncé: Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 11, 2011. Note: To interpret the number of weeks in the chart's top ten, the user must navigate the visualizer, which can be launched on the left of the screen.
20. "Dance/Electronic Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
21. "Dance/Electronic Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2010. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
22. Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes (Remix album). Beyoncé. Columbia Records. 2009. 88697 53949 9.CS1 maint: others (link)
23. I Am... Sasha Fierce (Platinum Edition). Beyoncé. Columbia Records. 2008. 0088697417352.CS1 maint: others (link)
24. "Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes – Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
25. "Beyoncé Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
26. "Beyoncé Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard.
27. "Beyoncé Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
28. "Above and Beyonce: Video Collection & Dance Mixes" (in Japanese). Amazon.com (Japan). Retrieved February 27, 2012.
29. "Above And Beyonce Video Collection & Dance Mixes" (in Japanese). HMV Group (Japan). Retrieved February 27, 2012.
30. "Above And Beyonce Video Collection & Dance Mixes" (in German). Amazon.com (Germany). Retrieved February 27, 2012.
31. "Above and Beyoncé - Dance Mixes" (in German). iTunes Store (Germany). Apple Inc. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
32. "Above & Beyonce Video Collection & Dance Mixes". Amazon.com (Canada). Retrieved February 27, 2012.
33. "Above & Beyonce Video Collection & Dance Mixes". Amazon.com (Canada). Retrieved February 27, 2012.
34. "Above & Beyonce Video Collection & Dance Mixes". Amazon.com (UK). Retrieved February 27, 2012.
35. "Above & Beyonce Video Collection & Dance Mixes". Amazon.com (UK). Retrieved February 27, 2012.
36. "Above and Beyoncé - Dance Mixes" (in German). iTunes Store (Austria). Apple Inc. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
37. "Above and Beyoncé - Dance Mixes". iTunes Store (Canada). Apple Inc. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
38. "Above and Beyoncé - Dance Mixes" (in German). iTunes Store (Switzerland). Apple Inc. Retrieved February 27, 2012.