The year she turned 16, her group Destiny’s Child had its first song released, “Killing Time,” on the Men in Black soundtrack. In 1998 the group’s self-titled debut album peaked at No. 67 on the Billboard 200.
The breakthrough yearThe year she turned 18, Destiny’s Child released The Writing’s on the Wall, which USA Today called the group’s breakout album; its lead single “Bills, Bills, Bills” became their first Hot 100 No. 1.
In 2001 the group’s album Survivor stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 after first-week sales of more than 663,000 copies. In 2002 she played Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in Goldmember. The year she turned 22, her single “Crazy in Love,” with Jay-Z, spent an eighth straight week atop the Hot 100. In 2004 she won five of six Grammys, including Best Contemporary R&B Album.
Destiny’s Child announced in 2005 that it would split after its fall tour. Her second solo album, B’Day, opened at No. 1 in 2006 with 541,000 copies sold. In 2008 she married Jay-Z, and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” became her fifth solo No. 1 on the Hot 100.
In 2010 she won six Grammys, the most by a solo female artist in a single year, the Guardian reported. In 2011 she headlined Glastonbury, and her album 4 entered at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. In 2013 she released the self-titled album Beyoncé on iTunes, and it debuted at No. 1. In 2014 MTV named her the Video Vanguard Award recipient and she led the VMA nominations with eight. In 2015 the self-titled album won a Grammy for surround sound.
In 2016 Lemonade debuted at No. 1, her sixth album to do so, and she won eight VMAs. In 2017 she announced on Instagram that she was expecting twins. In 2018 she headlined Coachella on two weekends. In 2019 the film Homecoming arrived on Netflix with a live album, and she voiced Nala in The Lion King. In 2020 her visual album Black Is King premiered on Disney Plus. In 2021 her 28th Grammy gave her the most wins by any singer.
In 2022 Renaissance debuted at No. 1 and “Break My Soul” reached No. 1 on the Hot 100. In 2023 she became the most awarded artist in Grammys history, and the Renaissance World Tour grossed $579.8 million. The year she turned 43, she released Cowboy Carter, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and on Top Country Albums. In 2025 Cowboy Carter won Album of the Year, and her tour of the album grossed $407.6 million. In 2026 she released “Morning Dew (Donk)” and a 20th anniversary edition of B’Day.
Beyoncé released her first song with Destiny’s Child in 1997, the year she turned 16, and became known when The Writing’s on the Wall came out on Jul 27, 1999, the year she turned 18.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Billboard reported that “Killing Time” was the group’s first officially released song, on the Men in Black soundtrack in the summer of 1997.
Source 01 · Billboard · Destiny’s Child debut album, songs ranked · opens in a new tab Billboard gives only the season, so only the year is shown.The group’s self-titled debut peaked at No. 67 on the Billboard 200. Billboard called “No, No, No” its only hit.
Source 01 · Billboard · Destiny’s Child debut album, songs ranked · opens in a new tabColumbia released the group’s second album on July 27. USA Today called it their breakout album, and its lead single “Bills, Bills, Bills” became the group’s first Hot 100 No. 1.
Destiny’s Child’s Survivor stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 after first-week U.S. sales of more than 663,000 copies.
Source 04 · Billboard · Destiny’s Child holds off Wings, Janet at No. 1 · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date; the album’s release date is not in the source.She starred in the third Austin Powers film. “Work It Out” was the first single from its soundtrack, Billboard reported.
Source 05 · Chicago Sun-Times · Austin Powers in Goldmember · opens in a new tabSource 06 · Billboard · Austin Powers soundtrack shines with stars · opens in a new tab Billboard gives July 26 as the film’s U.S. release date, the same date as the Sun-Times review.Her single with Jay-Z was in its eighth straight week atop the Hot 100. Her solo debut, Dangerously in Love, topped the Billboard 200 with 317,000 copies sold in its first week, Billboard reported in 2006.
Source 07 · Billboard · Beyoncé, Jay-Z: “Crazy” as ever · opens in a new tabSource 11 · Billboard · B’Day makes big bow at No. 1 · opens in a new tab Date is the article date; the album’s release date is not in these sources.She won five of six awards, including Best Contemporary R&B Album. “Crazy in Love” won two.
Source 08 · MTV News · Beyoncé wins most at the 2004 Grammys · opens in a new tab MTV News article dated Feb. 9, 2004 describes Sunday night.Kelly Rowland announced on stage in Barcelona that the group would split after its fall North American tour, and a spokesperson confirmed it, Billboard reported.
Source 09 · Billboard · Destiny’s Child to split after fall tour · opens in a new tabHer second solo album came out on her 25th birthday and opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 541,000 copies sold in its first week.
Source 10 · The Hollywood Reporter · First new song in two years · opens in a new tabSource 11 · Billboard · B’Day makes big bow at No. 1 · opens in a new tabSource 12 · Los Angeles Times · A “B’Day” present to and from Beyoncé · opens in a new tabShe and Jay-Z married on April 4, 2008, according to Elle’s timeline of their relationship.
Source 13 · Elle · Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s relationship timeline · opens in a new tabThe song rose from No. 2 to No. 1 on the Hot 100 after 228,000 downloads in the U.S., her fifth solo No. 1.
Source 14 · The Hollywood Reporter · Beyoncé rings up fifth solo No. 1 · opens in a new tab Date is the AP story date.Her six wins included Song of the Year for “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” The Guardian reported it as the most won by a solo female artist in a single year.
Source 15 · The Guardian · Beyoncé hits Grammys for six · opens in a new tabShe played a 90-minute set, opening on the Pyramid Stage with “Crazy in Love,” the BBC reported.
Source 16 · BBC News · Glastonbury “career highlight” · opens in a new tab BBC article dated June 27 describes Sunday night.Her fourth solo studio album entered at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 310,000 copies sold.
Source 17 · Billboard · Beyoncé notches fourth Billboard 200 No. 1 with 4 · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date; the album’s release date is not in the source.She released the self-titled album on iTunes on Dec. 13. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making her the first woman with No. 1 albums for her first five studio releases.
Source 18 · The Hollywood Reporter · Beyoncé makes history with fifth No. 1 album · opens in a new tab The article gives the morning of Dec. 13; a caption on the same page gives Dec. 12.MTV said she would receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and perform at the Aug. 24 VMAs, where she led the nominations with eight.
Source 19 · Rolling Stone · Beyoncé to receive MTV Video Vanguard Award · opens in a new tab Date is that of the announcement.The Best Surround Sound Album award goes to the mastering and mix engineers and the surround producer. She was still up for five other awards, including Album of the Year.
Source 20 · CBS News · Beyoncé among the early Grammy winners · opens in a new tabThe album, first released on Tidal in April, opened with 653,000 equivalent album units. She became the first artist whose first six albums debuted at No. 1.
Source 21 · The Fader · First artist to have her first six albums debut at No. 1 · opens in a new tabSource 22 · Billboard · Beyoncé releases Lemonade on Tidal · opens in a new tab Date is the Fader article date; the chart week ended April 28.She won in eight categories, including Video of the Year, and passed Madonna’s 20 with 24 VMAs in total, Time reported.
Source 23 · Time · Beyoncé breaks Madonna’s VMA record · opens in a new tabShe shared the news in an Instagram post, the Guardian reported.
Source 24 · The Guardian · Beyoncé announces she is pregnant with twins · opens in a new tabShe headlined the festival on two weekends, on April 14 and 21. The Guardian reported that they were her first live shows since her 2016 Formation world tour.
Source 25 · The Guardian · Coachella 2018 lineup · opens in a new tabSource 26 · BBC News · Beyoncé drops live album with Netflix film · opens in a new tab The Guardian gives both dates in its January lineup story; the BBC confirms the set took place over two weekends in April 2018.She released a live album with the Netflix documentary; both capture her 2018 Coachella set, the BBC reported.
Source 26 · BBC News · Beyoncé drops live album with Netflix film · opens in a new tabCBS News reported in June that the live-action film, with her as the voice of Nala, would open on July 19.
Source 27 · CBS News · The Lion King trailer reveals her voice as Nala · opens in a new tab Date is the premiere date given in a June 4, 2019 article.The visual album, which she wrote, directed and executive produced, is based on the music of The Lion King: The Gift, Variety reported.
Source 28 · Variety · Black Is King coming to Disney Plus · opens in a new tab Date is the premiere date given in Variety’s June 28, 2020 announcement.Her 28th Grammy, for Best R&B Performance, gave her the most wins by a woman or by any singer, Billboard reported.
Source 29 · Billboard · Beyoncé breaks Grammy record · opens in a new tabHer seventh solo studio album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 332,000 equivalent units in the week ending Aug. 4.
Source 30 · Billboard · Renaissance bows at No. 1 · opens in a new tabThe song rose from No. 6 to No. 1 on the Hot 100, her eighth solo No. 1.
Source 31 · Billboard · “Break My Soul” soars to No. 1 · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date; the chart is dated Aug. 13.Four wins on the night brought her total to 32 Grammys, the Guardian reported.
Source 32 · The Guardian · Beyoncé breaks the record for most Grammys · opens in a new tabThe tour grossed $579.8 million and sold 2.8 million tickets across 56 shows, Billboard Boxscore reported.
Source 33 · Billboard · Renaissance World Tour in the Boxscore · opens in a new tabBoth songs were announced in a Super Bowl commercial. Billboard reported on Feb. 26 that “Texas Hold ’Em” had reached No. 1 on the Hot 100, her ninth solo No. 1.
Source 34 · Billboard · “Texas Hold ’Em” hits No. 1 on the Hot 100 · opens in a new tabThe album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 407,000 equivalent units, her eighth No. 1 album, and also led Top Country Albums.
Source 34 · Billboard · “Texas Hold ’Em” hits No. 1 on the Hot 100 · opens in a new tabSource 35 · Billboard · Cowboy Carter is her eighth No. 1 album · opens in a new tabThe album also won Best Country Album. Variety reported she was the first Black female artist to win that category.
Source 36 · Variety · Cowboy Carter wins Album of the Year · opens in a new tabSource 37 · Variety · Cowboy Carter wins Best Country Album · opens in a new tabThe first show was at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the start of 32 stadium shows in nine cities in the U.S. and Europe, USA Today reported.
Source 38 · USA Today · Cowboy Carter tour, everything to know · opens in a new tabBillboard Boxscore figures had the 32-show run at $407.6 million and 1.6 million tickets sold, Rolling Stone reported.
Source 39 · Rolling Stone · Cowboy Carter tour is the highest-grossing country tour · opens in a new tab Date is the Rolling Stone article date.The Hollywood Reporter called it her first new song in two years, set for the 20th anniversary edition of B’Day.
Source 10 · The Hollywood Reporter · First new song in two years · opens in a new tabVariety reported that the remastered album adds Spanish recordings, previously released bonus tracks and a few unheard songs.
Source 40 · Variety · B’Day 20th anniversary deluxe edition · opens in a new tab Date is the Variety article date.END OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 1997–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
Debut and breakthrough are marked separately, and every record has a source.
Music · United States
Sep 4, 1981 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1981: the year of the event minus 1981, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.30 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.