• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

College-educated women are snapping up the highest-earning men without college degrees, leaving the rest further behind

2

An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948

3

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'

1

College-educated women are snapping up the highest-earning men without college degrees, leaving the rest further behind

2

An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948

3

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Lifestylebeyonce

Beyoncé just released a new song and it might be about the Great Resignation

By
Jo Constantz
Jo Constantz
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jo Constantz
Jo Constantz
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 21, 2022, 6:03 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Beyoncé’s new single sounds like a power anthem for the Great Resignation.

The lyrics on her latest track, “Break My Soul,” speak to the millions of Americans who have left their jobs over the past year looking for better opportunities with unemployment at a record low. In April, 4.4 million workers quit their jobs in the U.S. even as fears of recession grow.

The first verse spells out the impulses many Americans are acting on: “Now I just fell in love / And I just quit my job / I’m gonna find new drive / Damn they work me so damn hard / Work by nine / Then off past five / And they work my nerves / That’s why I cannot sleep at night.”

This new Beyoncé track is very indicative of the times we’re in right now.

Great resignation, finding true happiness, starting new business/career ventures, writing our own stories.

It’ll resonate.

— Derrion L. Henderson (@DerrionLH) June 21, 2022

The song, which debuted Monday, is part of her new album, Renaissance: Act 1, that’s due to be released on July 29.

More than two years into the global pandemic, the labor market is still in turmoil. Today, 10,000 London Underground workers went on strike in the U.K. for better pay and higher wages, forcing more than 1 million London commuters to work from home. In the U.S., efforts to unionize at major corporations are on the rise and workers are expressing outrage and strategizing for better pay and benefits in places like Reddit’s AntiWork forum, with 2 million subscribers. 

Beyoncé’s lyrics may resonate particularly with women. A Deloitte study found they’re especially prone to burn out after shouldering child care responsibilities in addition to work during the pandemic shutdowns. The song also likely rings true globally: One in five workers around the world are likely to seek new jobs in the next year, according to PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes and Fears survey. The biggest motivator? Higher pay.

The single evokes themes of the 1970s disco era, when dance anthems—like Michael Jackson’s “Workin’ Day and Night” and “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees—appealed to the frustration working people felt in an economy beset by stagflation, encouraging them to dance the night away. A mid-track rap by Big Freedia highlights the frustrations of today’s workers grappling with low pay, long hours and rising inflation that make it hard to get by: “Release ya anger, release ya mind / Release ya job, release the time / Release ya trade, release the stress / Release the love, forget the rest.”

@Beyonce is telling me to quit my job 🤔🤔🤔

— Ashleigh Patterson (@AshleighPat) June 21, 2022

The song’s second verse nods to entrepreneurship: “Motivation / I’m looking for a new foundation, yeah / And I’m on that new vibration / I’m building my own foundation.” More people are looking to become their own bosses since the pandemic disrupted work and life. In 2021, Americans filed applications for 5.4 million new businesses, according to a White House report: more than 20% higher than any year on record. 

With economists and billionaires alike signaling the U.S. economy may be headed for recession, Beyoncé is still a good bet, according to Goldman Sachs Asset Management Chief Investment Officer of Public Equity Katie Koch. Consumers continue to spend selectively during recessions, especially on experiences, rendering popular artists like Beyoncé—and the event venues where she tours—virtually recession-proof, she said.

Beyoncé saw that it was the summer of late-millennial burnout, the labor movement, ‘90s revival, and queer pride and was like, “Yeah, I can make a song about that”

— Puja Patel (@senari) June 21, 2022
Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.
About the Authors
By Jo Constantz
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bloomberg
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Lifestyle

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Lifestyle

t
North AmericaWhite House
The new Air Force One controversy is really about a 90-year power struggle over presidential travel
By Peter Kastor and The ConversationJuly 27, 2026
4 hours ago
Photo of Oprah Winfrey
SuccessCareers
Oprah Winfrey says ‘life starts at 44’—and research proves she’s right: The average founder starts their business after 40
By Emma BurleighJuly 27, 2026
5 hours ago
A fan is pointed towards a classroom full of students in a school.
Environmentschools
Rising temperatures are putting students at risk of heat-related illnesses, and schools are scrambling to adapt
By The Conversation, Allison Poulos and Jennifer VanosJuly 27, 2026
5 hours ago
A small Brown-eared Bulbul bird perches on a branch in a tree.
HealthHealth
Sit back and watch the birds—your health will thank you, data shows
By The Conversation and Jennifer G. AndrewsJuly 27, 2026
6 hours ago
o
Arts & EntertainmentBox office
Highbrow box-office king Christopher Nolan seals biggest second weekend ever with $87 million haul for ‘The Odyssey’
By Lindsey Bahr and The Associated PressJuly 27, 2026
8 hours ago
d
Arts & EntertainmentMarvel Studios
‘It’s in the can, bro’: Marvel wants you to think RDJ and Ryan Reynolds are only sharing the stage at Comic Con
By Leslie Ambriz and The Associated PressJuly 27, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

College-educated women are snapping up the highest-earning men without college degrees, leaving the rest further behind
Economy
College-educated women are snapping up the highest-earning men without college degrees, leaving the rest further behind
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 26, 2026
1 day ago
An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948
Success
An 11-year-old is cleaning his neighbors' trash cans for $10 each—he now has 100K followers as teens face the worst summer job market since 1948
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 25, 2026
2 days ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
2 days ago
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
Retail
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
By Sarah GlodekJuly 27, 2026
13 hours ago
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book
Commentary
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book
By Austin SaratJuly 26, 2026
1 day ago
The Pete behind Jersey Mike’s was only 17 years old when he borrowed $125,000 to buy the chain—with some help from his high school football coach
Success
The Pete behind Jersey Mike’s was only 17 years old when he borrowed $125,000 to buy the chain—with some help from his high school football coach
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 26, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.