Irreplaceable facts for kids

Quick facts for kids "Irreplaceable"
Single by Beyoncé
from the album B'Day
Released	October 23, 2006 (2006-10-23)
Recorded	April 2006
Studio	Sony Music, New York City
Genre	Pop R&B
Length	3:47
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith Mikkel S. Eriksen Tor Erik Hermansen Espen Lind Amund Bjorklund Beyoncé Knowles
Producer(s)	Stargate Beyoncé Knowles Ne-Yo
Beyoncé singles chronology
"Ring the Alarm" (2006) "Irreplaceable" (2006) "Listen" (2006)

"Irreplaceable" is a popular song by American singer Beyoncé. It was released in 2006 for her second album, B'Day. The song was written by several talented people, including Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith and Beyoncé herself.

This song was first planned as a country song. But it was changed to a slower pop and R&B song. The lyrics of "Irreplaceable" are about a girl breaking up with a boyfriend who wasn't loyal. The song also shares a strong message about female empowerment. It reminds listeners that they are valuable and can move on from bad relationships.

"Irreplaceable" became a huge hit around the world. It was Beyoncé's fourth song to reach number one in the U.S. It stayed at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 10 weeks! This made it the most successful song from her B'Day album. It also won several awards, like Best R&B/Soul Single at the 2007 Soul Train Music Awards.

How the Song Was Made

The song "Irreplaceable" was first written for another singer, Chrisette Michele. The music producers Stargate and songwriter Ne-Yo worked on it. Ne-Yo wrote the lyrics from a guy's point of view. He was thinking of country singers like Shania Twain when he wrote it.

When they first played the song, it sounded like country music with a guitar. But when drums were added, it started to sound more like R&B. The team decided a female singer would be better for the song. They thought it would be more powerful for a woman to sing these words.

Beyoncé loved the song when she heard a demo (a first version). She asked for some changes, like adding more drums and singing in a higher voice. The guitar part was created by Espen Lind and Amund Bjørklund. Ne-Yo said that Beyoncé "had some stuff that she wanted to get off her chest." They wanted to make a song that women could truly connect with.

The song was recorded and mixed in New York City. Even though it had acoustic guitars, which usually sound more pop, it became a huge hit on urban radio stations. This surprised some people! Beyoncé said she was happy the song helped people feel strong after a breakup.

What the Song Sounds Like

"Irreplaceable" is a mid-tempo (medium speed) ballad. It mixes pop and R&B styles. Beyoncé's voice covers a wide range in the song. Unlike other songs on her album, her voice in "Irreplaceable" is softer and more controlled.

The song uses a gentle acoustic guitar sound. It also has a modern drum beat and sounds from cellos. Some other songs, like Rihanna's "Hate That I Love You" and Chris Brown's "With You", use similar guitar sounds.

Critics have compared Beyoncé's singing in "Irreplaceable" to famous singers like Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin. Beyoncé explained that the song is "a little honest." She said it's about remembering your own worth and not letting someone make you feel unappreciated.

The song starts with the famous line, "To the left, to the left: everything you own in a box to the left." Beyoncé sings about arguing with her boyfriend and telling him to leave. The main part of the song, the chorus, says, "You must not know 'bout me... I can have another you by tomorrow / I could have another you in a minute... Don't you ever for a second get to thinking / You're irreplaceable." This shows her confidence and strength.

Releasing the Song

"Irreplaceable" was released in the United Kingdom on October 23, 2006. It was the second single from B'Day there. In the U.S., it was the third single and came out on December 5, 2006.

Different versions of the single were released. Some included remixes of "Irreplaceable" and other songs like "Ring the Alarm" and "Déjà Vu".

Beyoncé also recorded a Spanish version of the song called "Irreemplazable." This version was added to a special edition of her B'Day album in 2007. An EP (a mini-album) called Irreemplazable was also released, featuring the Spanish version and other remixes.

In 2011, "Irreplaceable" was included on a special album called Songs for Japan. This album helped raise money for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

How Well the Song Did

"Irreplaceable" was a huge success around the world. It became the most popular single from Beyoncé's B'Day album.

In the U.S., the song quickly climbed the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It reached number one on December 16, 2006. It stayed at the top for 10 weeks in a row! This made it Beyoncé's longest-running number-one song as a solo artist. The song was so popular that it was played on the radio over 200 million times.

"Irreplaceable" was the best-performing song in the United States in 2007. It was also one of the best-selling digital songs worldwide in 2007, with over 4.6 million copies sold. It was even the most downloaded ringtone by a female artist in the 2000s!

The song also did very well in other countries. It reached number one in Australia, Hungary, Ireland, and New Zealand. It was in the top 10 in many other European countries and Canada. In the United Kingdom, it reached number four.

Music Video

In the music video, Beyoncé argues with her former boyfriend, played by Bobby Roache.

The music video for "Irreplaceable" was directed by Anthony Mandler. It was the first time Beyoncé's all-female band, Suga Mama, appeared in a video. The video follows the story of the song.

It starts with Beyoncé calmly filing her nails while her ex-boyfriend packs his things. She tells him to leave. Later, she follows him outside and leans on a fancy car. It looks like she's being sweet, but then you realize she's taking back the things she bought for him! He leaves her and the car, getting into a taxi.

The video also shows Beyoncé getting ready in front of a mirror. At the end, she greets her new boyfriend at the door.

The "Irreplaceable" music video won the Video of the Year award at the 2007 BET Awards. It was also nominated for Video of the Year at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards.

Live Performances

Beyoncé performing "Irreplaceable" during the I Am... World Tour in 2009.

Beyoncé has performed "Irreplaceable" many times. She sang it at the 2006 American Music Awards, on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and the Today Show.

The song was a key part of her concert tours, including The Beyoncé Experience and I Am... World Tour. Sometimes she performed it with just her voice, and other times with her full band, Suga Mama.

When she performed "Irreplaceable" at the Glastonbury Festival 2011, the crowd sang along loudly. This live version was later released to raise money for charities like Oxfam and Greenpeace.

Other Versions and Uses

Many artists have covered "Irreplaceable." This means they sang their own version of the song.

• In 2007, the band Gregory and the Hawk and singer Taylor Swift both covered the song.
• The country band Sugarland performed a country version with Beyoncé at the 2007 American Music Awards.
• Other singers like Kate Nash, Maria Aragon, and G.NA have also covered it.
• In 2011, the female contestants on American Idol sang "Irreplaceable" together during the show's finale.

The song has also been used in TV shows. In 2007, it was featured in the TV series The Game. In 2017, a group called Woman2Woman from South Africa made a funny parody video of the song that went viral online.

Track Listings and Formats

Credits and Personnel

These are the people who helped make "Irreplaceable":

Charts

Certifications

Release History

See also

In Spanish: Irreplaceable para niños

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 2006
• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 2007
• List of number-one R&B singles of 2006 (U.S.)
• List of number-one R&B singles of 2007 (U.S.)