The Writing's on the Wall

In 1995, Destiny was signed to Elektra Records by Sylvia Rhone. However, they were dismissed from the label eight months into their contract, without having even released an album, for being "too young and undeveloped". Changing their name to Destiny's Child, the group was signed to Columbia Records by Teresa LaBarbera Whites in 1996, after negotiations from Beyoncé's father Mathew Knowles, who became their manager. Destiny's Child made their recording debut with the inclusion of the track "Killing Time" on the Men in Black soundtrack in July 1997. Three months later, their debut single "No, No, No" was released, eventually going on to peak at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Commercially, ''Destiny's Child was a slow seller, peaking only at number 67 on the US Billboard'' 200, Beyoncé would retrospectively label the album "successful but not hugely successful", as it was "a neo-soul record and we were 15 years old. It was way too mature for us." In September, the group's contribution to the Why Do Fools Fall in Love soundtrack, "Get on the Bus"–a collaboration with Timbaland–was released to moderate commercial success. Around this time, Destiny's Child–partly dissatisfied with their debut–began conceiving ideas for its follow-up. As they were preparing to write and record new material, they sat together and listed what they liked and disliked about ''Destiny's Child'' in order to improve. ==Recording and production==

The recording of ''The Writing's on the Wall commenced in October 1998. The Writing's on the Wall saw group members take further creative control, as the members wrote more songs than on Destiny's Child, and would rewrite lyrics they received from collaborators to adjust them into suitable songs. Being promoted to executive producer alongside Mathew Knowles, Briggs introduced skittering quadruple-time beats while encouraging stuttering vocal phrasing, both of which defined the sound of The Writing's on the Wall''. Rodney Jerkins produced "Say My Name", which was recorded at the Pacifique Recording Studios in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. He co-wrote it with his brother Fred Jerkins III, LaShawn Daniels, and the group members. Daniels, who helmed its vocal production, based the song on a relationship he had experienced, noting that Beyoncé was able to relate as she was also in a relationship at the time. However, the group rejected the song's original mix, and the track was almost left unused; Beyoncé later negatively described the original mix as a "jungle". Jerkins then introduced a new mix to Knowles, and the track was subsequently included on ''The Writing's on the Wall''. According to Daniels, Destiny's Child equally contributed to the track, stating that their creative input would consistently increase throughout the production process. Missy Elliott wrote and produced "Confessions", on which she made a guest appearance; the track was recorded at The Hit Factory in New York and The Enterprise in Los Angeles. D'Wayne Wiggins produced and co-wrote "Temptations" and "Sweet Sixteen", which were both recorded at the Digital Sound in Houston and the House of Music in Oakland, California. "Stay" was solely written and produced by Daryl Simmons, being recorded at the Silent Sound Studios in Atlanta. Next were featured on "If You Leave", which was written by their member R.L. Huggar; it was co-written and produced by Chad Elliott, who also co-wrote and produced "Jumpin, Jumpin". The former was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York and the Dallas Sound Lab, while the latter was recorded at the 353 Studio in New York and the 24/7 Studio in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Ken Fambro and Donnie Boynton co-wrote and produced "Now That She's Gone". By April 1999, ''The Writing's on the Wall'' had been completed. ==Music and lyrics==

(pictured) is featured on the 1970s-influenced "Confessions", which she wrote and produced. ''The Writing's on the Wall'' is predominantly an R&B, pop, hip hop, and soul record. Its production incorporates sounds such as record scratches, bubbles, and breaking glass, while the instrumentation is based on sharp guitar riffs, complex percussion arrangements, and orchestral brass. Its instrumentation consists of sped-up acoustic guitar loops. Lyrically, the song confronts a boyfriend for his lack of accountability over credit card and phone bill charges while following the "Thou shalt pay bills" commandment. Numerous critics drew parallels between the track and TLC's "No Scrubs", also written by Briggs and Burruss around the same time. The protagonist of the 1970s-influenced soul track "Confessions", featuring a spoken-word performance by Missy Elliott, admits to infidelity. "Say My Name", singled out by multiple publications as the album's highlight, reprises the "thick, paranoid mix" of Jerkins' prior production "The Boy Is Mine", the 1998 duet between Brandy and Monica. It rotates between different sonic elements, shifting from a "slow, sexy" bass to syncopated, synth-infused strings and record scratches. Lyrically, the song features a female protagonist suspecting her boyfriend of cheating. "She Can't Love You" is a guitar-driven Latin and bolero ballad. The ballad "Stay" discusses a relationship which is deteriorating due to the female protagonist not wanting to consummate it, much to her boyfriend's dissatisfaction. "Sweet Sixteen" lyrically follows a girl named Jackie, who is eager to grow up. ''The Writing's on the Wall closes with an a cappella'' cover of "Amazing Grace", which acts as the outro and is dedicated to the late Andretta Tilman, Destiny's Child's original manager. ==Marketing==

Title and packaging In a May 2000 interview for Jet, Rowland revealed that, while deliberating over the album's title, Destiny's Child was choosing between ''The Writing's on the Wall'' and another, undisclosed title. They consulted Wyclef Jean, who preferred the former, and advised the group to incorporate the narrative of the revelation of the Ten Commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai into their "Commandments of Relationships". Release and promotion in May 2005 In the US, ''The Writing's on the Wall was released on July 27, 1999, by Columbia Records, having been released in Japan on July 14. Their televised performances at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards on September 3, 1999, the 2000 Soul Train Music Awards on March 4, 2000, during MTV Spring Break'' in Cancún on March 16, at the TMF Awards in Rotterdam on April 15, and on Britney Spears' free concert in Honolulu on April 24, further promoted the album. In July 2000, Destiny's Child joined Christina Aguilera as an opening act on her tour Christina Aguilera in Concert, touring North America until October. While on tour, the group performed a 45-minute set at The Big E on September 17, and performed "Say My Name" at the MuchMusic Video Awards on September 21. In November 2000, ''The Writing's on the Wall was reissued in Europe, being packaged with a bonus disc including "Independent Women Part I". They subsequently performed nominated songs "Independent Women Part I" and "Say My Name" at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards on February 21, 2001, when they won their first two Grammy Awards, both for "Say My Name". In honor of the 20th anniversary of The Writing's on the Wall'' in July 2019, Sony Music launched "Destiny's Child 2019 Dating Commandments". Similar to Tinder, the interactive dating app modernized the 14 "Commandments of Relationships". Furthermore, ''The Writing's on the Wall'' was made available on a limited-edition vinyl exclusively at Urban Outfitters on November 1. Singles "Bills, Bills, Bills" was released as the lead single from ''The Writing's on the Wall'' on May 31, 1999. A commercial success, it became Destiny's Child's first US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, also topping the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for nine consecutive weeks. The single was certified platinum by the RIAA in July 2020, denoting sales of one million units in the US. Internationally, the song reached the top 10 in Belgium, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands, and the UK. An accompanying music video was directed by Darren Grant and was a tribute to Destiny's Child's then-stylist Tina Knowles, as it depicts group members as hair salon employees frustrated with men. "Bug a Boo" was released as the second single from ''The Writing's on the Wall on July 7, 1999. It failed to replicate the commercial success of its predecessor, peaking only at number 33 on the US Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 15 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It became Destiny's Child's second US Billboard Hot 100 and third US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one single. and the top 10 in Belgium, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Critically acclaimed, it won the group's first two Grammy Awards–for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Best R&B Song–while also being nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, in 2001. A Joseph Kahn-directed accompanying music video was a subject of controversy, as it saw LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson be replaced–without their knowledge or consent–with Farrah Franklin and Michelle Williams. The video won Destiny's Child their first MTV Video Music Award, for Best R&B Video in 2000. "Jumpin', Jumpin'" was released as the fourth and final single from ''The Writing's on the Wall on July 17, 2000. A commercial success, it peaked at number three on the US Billboard'' Hot 100 and became the group's first US Mainstream Top 40 number-one single. The single was certified platinum by the RIAA in July 2020, denoting sales of one million units in the US. ==Critical reception==

On release, ''The Writing's on the Wall'' was met with mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic wrote that, regardless of "uneven" songwriting, the album was an improvement for Destiny's Child in comparison to their debut, further complimenting the production and selection of collaborators. ''The Writing's on the Wall'' won the Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for Best R&B/Soul Album in 2000, being nominated for Best R&B/Soul Album – Group, Band or Duo at the 2000 Soul Train Music Awards, and for Favorite Soul/R&B Album at the American Music Awards of 2001. Retrospective commentaries saw critical acclaim for ''The Writing's on the Wall prevail over initial criticism. In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide'' (2004), Sheffield referenced his own 1999 review by writing that the singles "Say My Name" and "Jumpin', Jumpin'" were, indeed, "catchy enough to turn any no-no-no scrub into yeah-yeah-yeah paying customer". Wren Graves from Consequence drew attention to standout non-single tracks, but dismissed "Temptation" and "If You Leave" as "dull spots". Based on ''The Writing's on the Wall, Q'' included Destiny's Child among "100 Women Who Rock the World" in 2002. In 2007, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame listed the album among their "Definitive 200", while Vibe highlighted it as one of "The 150 Albums That Define the Vibe Era". Entertainment Weekly listed the album as one of the 100 best albums of 1983–2008. In 2017, Complex listed ''The Writing's on the Wall'' among the best R&B albums of the 1990s, while NPR called it the 61st greatest female album of all time. Okayplayer's Dashan Smith hailed it as one of the most influential R&B albums of the 1990s, and Emily Tartanella of PopMatters called it one of the most memorable albums of 1999. Rolling Stone placed the album at number 291 on the 2020 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time; NME also included it on their ranking of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In 2022, Heven Haile of Pitchfork listed ''The Writing's on the Wall'' among the 150 best albums of the 1990s. ==Commercial performance==

In the US, ''The Writing's on the Wall debuted at number six on the Billboard'' 200 chart dated August 14, 1999, with first-week sales of 133,000 copies. On the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, it debuted and peaked at number two the same week. The album was the 42nd best-selling album of 1999, selling 1.6 million copies by the end of the year. The heavy rotation of its third single "Say My Name" and increased promotional activities reinvigorated the album's sales. Seven weeks after "Say My Name" reached the summit of the Billboard Hot 100, ''The Writing's on the Wall registered a new single-week sales high with 157,000 units. During the Christmas week of 2000, the album achieved its highest single-week sales with 163,000 units, while remaining stable within the top 40 in its 74th week of charting. On the year-end Billboard 200 for 2000, it placed at number 13, and was the 10th best-selling album of the year with sales of 3.8 million copies. In total, The Writing's on the Wall spent 99 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200, exiting from the chart in July 2001. peaking at number five after a year of charting on August 26, 2000. In the United Kingdom, The Writing's on the Wall'' debuted at number 12 on the UK Albums Chart and atop the UK R&B Albums Chart. ==Controversy==

(pictured) and Farrah Franklin joined Destiny's Child as replacements for LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson. The promotional era of ''The Writing's on the Wall'' was infused with controversy and conflicts within Destiny's Child's members and management. In December 1999, Luckett and Roberson attempted to split with their manager Mathew Knowles, stating that he kept a disproportionate share of the group's profits and unfairly favored his daughter Beyoncé and Rowland. Prior to its premiere, Beyoncé announced on Total Request Live that Luckett and Roberson had left the group. They were replaced by Williams, a former backing vocalist to Monica, and Franklin, an aspiring singer-actress. On March 15, 2000, Roberson and Luckett filed a lawsuit against Knowles and their former bandmates for breach of partnership and fiduciary duties. ==Legacy==

'' (2016). ''The Writing's on the Wall'' has been declared Destiny's Child's breakthrough album by numerous music critics, as it spurred their career and introduced them to a wider audience. Multiple critics have also noted the album for being the platform upon which Beyoncé would launch her solo career. Artistic influence of ''The Writing's on the Wall'' has expanded into imagery as well, as the music videos for Kehlani's 2016 song "Distraction" and Tove Styrke's 2017 song "Say My Name" have been described as homages to the music video for "Say My Name". ==Track listing==

{{Track listing {{Track listing {{Track listing Notes • signifies a producer and vocal producer • signifies a vocal producer • signifies a co-producer • signifies an additional vocal producer • signifies an additional producer • signifies the lyrics being credited to public domain • Tracks 1–15 end with brief interludes spoken by the group members, each of which relates to the following track. Each interlude represents a Ten Commandments-inspired "Commandment of Relationships". • Enhanced CD pressings include the music video for "No, No, No Part 1". Sample credits • "Temptation" contains resung elements from "Whatever You Want" by Tony! Toni! Toné! and "Posse on Broadway" by Sir Mix-a-Lot. ==Personnel==

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of ''The Writing's on the Wall''. • Charles Alexander – mixing (track 11) • Jovonn Alexander – production (track 11) • Steve Baughman – mixing assistance (track 3) • Chris Bell – engineering (track 10) • Donnie "D-Major" Boynton – production (track 7), songwriting (track 7) • Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs – engineering (tracks 2, 3, 5, 9 and 13), executive production, instrumentation (tracks 2, 3, 5, 9 and 13), Midi & Sound (tracks 2, 3, 5 and 13), production (tracks 2, 3, 5, 9 and 13), songwriting (tracks 2, 3, 5, 9 and 13), vocal production (tracks 2, 3, 5, 9 and 13) • Joe Bruer – engineering (track 8) • Kandi Burruss – songwriting (tracks 2, 3, 5, 9 and 13), vocal production (tracks 2, 5, 9 and 13) • Michael Calderon – engineering (tracks 1, 3 and 6) • LaShawn Daniels – engineering (track 12), songwriting (track 12), vocal production (track 12) • Kevin "KD" Davis – mixing (tracks 2, 3, 5, 9 and 13) • Andre DeBaurg – engineering (tracks 10 and 11) • David Donaldson – engineering (track 11) • Jimmy Douglass – engineering (track 4) • Blake Eiseman – engineering (track 7) • Chad "Dr. Ceuss" Elliott – mixing (track 11), production (tracks 10 and 11), songwriting (tracks 10 and 11) • Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott – production (track 4), songwriting (track 4), vocals (track 4) • Ken "K-Fam" Fambro – production (track 7), songwriting (track 7) • Ronnie Garrett – bass (track 14) • Jon Gass – mixing (track 14) • Tara Geter – songwriting (track 7) • Brad Gildem – engineering (track 12) • Anthony Hardy – instrumentation (track 1), production (track 1) • Donald "Lenny" Holmes – instrumentation (track 1), production (tracks 1 and 4), songwriting (track 4) • James Hoover – engineering (tracks 7, 15 and 16) • Jean Marie Horout – mixing (track 12) • R.L. Huggar – songwriting (track 10) • Oshea Hunter – production (track 10), songwriting (track 10) • Fred Jerkins III – songwriting (track 12) • Rodney Jerkins – production (track 12), songwriting (track 12), vocals (track 12) • Thom "TK" Kidd – engineering (track 14) • Kiko – art direction, design • Beyoncé Knowles – additional vocal production (track 9), arrangement (track 16), backing vocals (all tracks), lead vocals (all tracks), production (tracks 1, 8, 15 and 16), songwriting (tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11–13 and 15), vocal arrangement (tracks 6 and 16), vocal production (tracks 3 and 13) • Mathew Knowles – executive production, mixing (track 16) • Mike Kopcha – mixing assistance (tracks 2, 5, 9 and 13) • Sonny Lallerstedt – guitar (track 14) • Vincent Lars – saxophone (track 15) • Kevin Lively – engineering assistance (track 14) • LeToya Luckett – backing vocals (all tracks), lead vocals (track 1), songwriting (tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12 and 13) • Steve McCauley – mixing assistance (tracks 4 and 15) • Raymond McKinley – bass (track 15) • Rufus Moore – songwriting (track 11) • Ramon Morales – engineering (tracks 5, 9 and 13) • Vernon Mungo – engineering (track 3) • Next – vocals (track 10) • Hide Olda – photography • Bill Ortiz – trumpet (track 15) • Lance Pierre – mixing assistance (track 8) • Platinum Status – drum programming (track 8), keyboards (track 8), production (track 8), songwriting (track 8) • Claudine Pontier – engineering assistance (track 3) • Anthony Ray – songwriting (track 6) • Ted Regier – mixing assistance (tracks 4, 6, 7 and 15) • Byron Rittenhouse – vocals (track 11) • LaTavia Roberson – backing vocals (all tracks), lead vocals (tracks 1, 8 and 15), songwriting (tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12 and 13) • Kelly Rowland – backing vocals (all tracks), lead vocals (tracks 1–5, 7, 8, 10, 13, 15 and 16), songwriting (tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13 and 15) • Albert Sanchez – photography • Aleese Simmons – songwriting (track 7) • Daryl Simmons – drum programming (track 14), keyboards (track 14), production (track 14), songwriting (track 14) • Dexter Simmons – mixing (tracks 4, 6, 8, 10 and 15) • Latrelle Simmons – songwriting (track 7), vocal arrangement (track 7) • Ivy Skoff – production coordination (track 14) • Charles Spikes – guitar (track 6) • Brian Springer – engineering (track 4) • Kenny Stallworth – engineering assistance (track 7) • Chris Stokes – production (track 8), songwriting (track 8) • Joey Swails – engineering (tracks 6 and 15) • Terry-T – bass (track 6), drum machine (track 6), keyboards (track 6), production (track 6) • Gerard Thomas – instrumentation (track 1), production (tracks 1 and 4), songwriting (track 4) • Tyvette Turman – songwriting (track 10) • Stephanie Vonarx – engineering assistance (track 14) • Chuck Walpole – engineering (track 6) • Jody Watley – songwriting (track 15) • Carl Wheeler – songwriting (track 6) • Teresa LaBarbera Whites – A&R • D'wayne Wiggins – bass (track 6), drum machine (track 15), guitar (tracks 6 and 15), production (tracks 6 and 15), songwriting (tracks 6 and 15), synthesizer (track 15) • Tony Williams – additional drum programming (track 14) • Dan Workman – engineering (tracks 2 and 5) ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts Decade-end charts All-time charts ==Certifications==