Destiny’s Child’s hit song “Bootylicious” turns 24 this week. The track, released on May 22, 2001, became one of the group’s most memorable hits. It spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, entering the chart at No. 66 and eventually climbing to No. 1 during its ninth week. It was the trio’s fourth and final No. 1 single in the U.S.
The song is widely recognized for sampling the guitar riff from Stevie Nicks’ 1981 classic, “Edge of Seventeen.” Nicks even appeared in the music video, strumming her guitar as the scene flashes between her and the group performing.
In a 2021 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Beyoncé reflected on how “Bootylicious” was born. She explained that she wrote the song after facing criticism about her body as she moved from her teenage years into adulthood.
“I was 19. I had gained some weight and sample clothes didn’t fit me. I started hearing negative comments, and I felt insecure,” she said. “Then one day I decided I wouldn’t feel sorry for myself. So I wrote ‘Bootylicious.’”
Beyoncé described the song as a turning point. “It was the start of me taking my personal struggles and turning them into something that could empower other women and men going through the same thing,” she added.
The song helped Destiny’s Child connect with a wider audience. The use of Nicks’ famous riff caught the attention of listeners who may not have followed the group before. That guitar line has its own backstory. In a 1999 Musician interview, guitarist Waddy Wachtel — who performed the original riff on “Edge of Seventeen” — talked about its surprising similarity to The Police’s “Bring On the Night.”
“I hadn’t heard ‘Bring On the Night’ when we were recording,” Wachtel said. “Later, I heard Sting’s voice on the radio and thought, ‘We completely ripped them off!’ I called Stevie that night and said, ‘Don’t ever let me do that again!’”
Despite the coincidental resemblance, “Bootylicious” took on a life of its own. With its confident lyrics, unforgettable beat, and message of self-love, the song became a cultural moment. Even after two decades, it remains one of Destiny’s Child’s most powerful and beloved tracks.
