World-renowned girl group, Destiny’s Child, was known for releasing countless iconic hits throughout their time in the spotlight. They were most prominent from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, providing the industry a seamless transition into a new century. Destiny’s Child comprised several multi-talented artists throughout their fame, with the three primary members being Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. Many fans consider these three to have been the prominent members to carry the entire group; however, other women made incredible appearances as well. LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson were crucial for the first two albums. They were later replaced by Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin, but the latter also left the group.
Between the years of 1998 and 2004, Destiny’s Child released a total of five albums that changed the world. Each album marked a significant shift in the industry, though it is safe to say that some are easily more iconic than others. We’ve compiled and ranked each project according to artistry, hits, and more.
5. 8 Days of Christmas (2001)
8 Days of Christmas is the group’s fourth studio album and their one and only Christmas-themed production. There isn’t much to defend about this album. Destiny’s Child has created so many works of art that an album that is comprised of Christmas covers certainly won’t showcase their best work. It is also a given that their classic sound, made up of R&B, hip-hop, and pop, isn’t quite cut out for the Christmas spirit. Nonetheless, they somehow pulled it off gracefully.
4. Destiny Fulfilled (2004)
Destiny Fulfilled was the group’s fifth and final album to be released. At this point, Destiny’s Child had already separated to pursue their individual music careers. They were each extremely successful and ultimately confirmed their bittersweet decision to part ways. As a grand finale to honor one another and their fans, they recorded Destiny Fulfilled. The album was a perfect showcase of each member; however, the album itself did not contain many hits. Music critics gave it mixed reviews, making the record incomparable to some of the rest.
3. Destiny’s Child (1998)
The group’s first studio album deserves recognition solely for being such an amazing debut in music history. Their initial members included Beyoncé, Kelly, LaTavia, and LeToya. They won the Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year, showing the world early on in their careers that they would make it big. Their debut featured hit singles such as “No, No, No” and ‘With Me.” During the late ’90s, Destiny’s Child became one of the most successful R&B albums of that time. The singers’ voices mesh beautifully in this album, and it set the stage for their future projects.
2. Survivor (2001)
Released in 2001, the group’s third studio album Survivor was undeniably one of their greatest successes. Before the release of the album, Destiny’s Child parted ways with LeToya and LaTavia. They were replaced with Michelle and Farrah. This event inevitably led to some controversy, as fans weren’t fond of the change. However, this quickly turned around for the better once they got to hear the new album. Hit songs such as “Survivor,” “Bootylicious,” and more received critical acclaim. In only a few years, Survivor had sold over 10 million copies worldwide and was nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Album.
1. The Writing’s On The Wall (1999)
The Writing’s On The Wall was released by Destiny’s Child in 1999 as their second studio album. This album was clearly their biggest hit as a group and overall marked a turning point in their career. With endless hits, including “Bills, Bills, Bills,” “Jumpin’, Jumpin’,” and of course, “Say My Name,” fans all around the world were listening to this album. There is absolutely no doubt that this album was the highlight of Destiny’s Child as a whole. It remains a fan favorite and is one of the most talked about records from the hitmakers.
Destiny’s Child continues to have a lasting impact on the music industry and inspires a whole new era of R&B artists today. They have since disbanded after releasing their final album but continue to reach new heights through their individual music careers. It’s all thanks to their early days as a part of the iconic girl group. Additionally, Beyoncé, Kelly, and Michelle remain close friends, often referring to one another as sisters. They’ve also supported one another’s endeavors and only praise each other in interviews. Their impressive accolades and awards are incomparable to any other artist or group. They redefined R&B and gave Women of Color more space to create music for the world. There have been calls for a reunion, but we’ll have to wait to see if that occurs. What Destiny’s Child album is your favorite?