Songs like “Ring the Alarm” and “Don’t Hurt Yourself” are among the longer list of hits that renowned songstress Beyoncé is acclaimed for. Fans have been on the edge of their seats since the release of Renaissance: Act II in March of 2024, and are anticipating what’s next for the multi-hyphenate star. Renaissance: Act I focused primarily on renditions of house music with inspirational elements of dancehall and disco. Meanwhile, Renaissance: Act II, more notably known as Cowboy Carter, took a creative turn for the “Cuff It” singer as she emerged with a country album. The Texas native has always made it a point to draw from her roots with her artistry, yet she still left fans speechless with her melodies and renditions of classics like “Jolene,” “Oh Louisiana,” and more. The genre that the songstress has yet to add to her rolodex as a long-form project is rock and heavy metal. Speculation has continued to rise from music experts and Beyhive gurus, but what should one expect from such a project?

Here are 13 things fans are on the lookout for on a Beyoncé rock album:

1. Features from fellow artists who are popular in the rock genre

The rock genre does not always have mainstream representation for people of color. The musical stylings of artists like Jimi Hendrix, Prince, and Tracy Chapman are examples of a longer list of artists that have paved the way for African Americans in the genre. Beyoncé has been known for acknowledging artists that have contributed to her stardom, and even uplifting those that have grown in the industry alongside her. To add to her list of collaborations, fans would likely appreciate features from popular rock artists who they may or may not already be exposed to. Artists who may be viable options for the songstress to utilize include Lenny Kravitz, Willow Smith, Paramore, or even Jack White of Third Man Records whom Beyoncé previously worked with on her 2016 album, Lemonade. We have already seen Beyoncé and Prince hit the stage together.

2. Iconic cover art to coincide with ‘Act I’ and ‘Act II’

In both acts of Renaissance, Beyoncé has made it a point to have unique themes and visuals for each separate musical project. This has allowed for them to coincide while still standing as two separate entities. The parallels between the two project’s cover art include Beyoncé sitting on top of a horse with eye-catching outfits. While they vary in not only aesthetic but musical style, fans have admired and appreciated the visuals. Fans even got a glimpse of what Beyoncé’s look could be for the album after she was featured in CR Fashion Book in February 2024 seen sporting various chic grunge-style outfits and a mullet in both blonde and a grayish tone.

3. Another song with Jack White

Beyhive fans added lemonade to their shopping list after the album’s 2016 release and strongly took to the song “Don’t Hurt Yourself.” Though the collaboration was initially unexpected, fans don’t seem to mind seeing the collaboration again as they anxiously wait for Act III. Jack White of Third Man Records is a rock music figure thanks to being a part of the rock duo White Stripes that began in the late 1990s. He produced and helped to write the song alongside Beyoncé, Derek Dixie, and Diana Gordon who are fellow songwriters. The song received so much success, it received a Grammy nomination in 2017 for “Best Rock Performance.”

4. A feature with Rumi and Sir

Beyoncé has dominated with collaboration alongside her family members including her sister Solange, husband JAY-Z, and even eldest daughter Blue Ivy. But, many fans are still curious on where twins Rumi and Sir will fall into play. For Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé featured Rumi on the song “Protector,” which showcased her voice for the first time to fans. Meanwhile, there has yet to be a formal song with both children or all three children at once. Fans are hoping to hear and see more musical contributions from each of the prodigal Carter children with a potential rock album being the next great opportunity to do.

5. A Destiny’s Child reprise

Fans can never have too much Destiny’s Child in their lives, hence why their various reunions throughout the years have always gone viral. Destiny’s Child has utilized other music genres throughout their discography including gospel, pop, and contemporary outside of R&B. A notable example of this is their performance in 2005 during their Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It tour. Their performance of “Through With Love” embodies each singer’s vocal style and how they were able to blend their usual music palette with a genre that is not their go-to. This has the potential to show up strongly on a rock album with Kelly’s warm harmonies, Michelle’s signature bridge notes that always carry, and Beyonce’s soulful lead vocals.

6. A song featuring Blue Ivy

After watching her grow up right before our eyes as the eldest of the Carter family, Blue Ivy has become a household favorite for fans. This love for her grew even stronger as Queen Bey began featuring her in different songs. It began with her feature on “Glory” with her father, JAY-Z, in 2012. A few years later, her feature on “BROWN SKIN GIRL” in 2019 with her mother, Beyoncé, earned her a Grammy award. Over time we’ve seen her expand and take after her mother when it comes to musical aspiration. Even more so, with her being featured on the Renaissance World Tour throughout the show during dance numbers. Fans have not only taken to Blue but have embraced her just as they have done Beyoncé, and another mother-daughter collaborative track would allow fans to see even more of Blue’s artistic abilities.

7. The use of mashups as real samples throughout the album

Who doesn’t love a good mashup? The Beyhive can’t get enough of them with their beloved queen. While many mashups don’t tend to make it off platforms like SoundCloud and YouTube, Beyoncé has previously utilized the creative genius of this on her musical projects. An example of this was when a fan combined O.T. Genasis’ “Everybody Mad” with Beyoncé’s “Diva.” This led to her use of the track during the “Beychella” movement and in her Netflix special, “Homecoming.” Not only is it now noted as one of Bey’s most iconic moments, but numerous other mashups have been made since then that have become mainstream. So much so, that Beyoncé even collaborated with famous DJ Amorphous on the Renaissance album after numerous years of creating mashup songs with her music and recognizing his work as a musical creative.

8. Songs that give insight into Bey’s world

With Beyoncé maintaining a private rapport since her rise to stardom, fans have been left to their own devices on her whereabouts and thought process when creating music. Thankfully, fans have been able to get glimpses of Beyoncé over the years through behind the scenes footage during performances, photoshoots, and tours. Her previous documentaries have showcased the sacrifices and discipline that she’s embodied to which has allowed fans to see her vulnerability on a grand scale. In turn, this has helped them to feel more connected to her. The Lemonade album was a great example of this where Bey left much of her emotions on the tracks after dealing with issues in her marriage. Another example of this would be in Renaissance: Act I where she referenced more feelings of self-love and escaping the labels placed on the type of woman she may have been expected to be. Fans are hoping that she keeps the same momentum with Act III, as she has always done by sharing some of her personal stories.

9. An ode to Black rock and grunge artists of the past

As rock ‘n roll has morphed over the years to more rock and grunge, we’ve seen predecessor musicians take this on headfirst and succeed. After winning the Innovator Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in early 2024, Beyoncé gave a heartfelt speech that expressed her appreciation for the artists who came before her and helped to inspire her work on the project. This included musical artists Stevie Wonder, Tracy Chapman, Prince, Andre 3000, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, and others. All of which have in some way utilized rock musical elements in their artistry. If fans are lucky, they will be able to see Beyoncé blend her unique musical approach with theirs for a masterpiece that exceeds expectations.

10. Songs that make you want to dance

With upbeat tempos and exciting lyrics, Queen Bey always leaves her fans sweating on the dance floor. Though a rock album would be something new for the “Get Me Bodied” artist, she has already shown her abilities to take it on well through other musical projects. As an expressive dancer herself with numerous songs that have dance trends attached to them, it would be no surprise if a rock album embodied the same elements. Fans want music with versatility and that’s for multiple occasions. That includes music they can listen to in the club, at the office, and even in the bedroom.

11. A high-quality production of music

It’s well-known the time, energy, and dedication that Beyoncé puts into all her work. Whether on stage in front of thousands of people or in the studio recording a song, she has always been strategic in the creative process that comes with building out a musical project. Beyoncé has stepped out of her usual musical boundaries over the past few years, and a rock album would fall under the longer list of other projects that have exceeded expectations. The rapport she has built as an artist will be maintained and expanded if she goes the route of creating a rock album.

12. A collaboration with a female rap artist

Bey has always been known for being a girl’s girl, but one could argue that seeing her angry side is exactly what could bring this rock album idea to life. Many female Hip Hop artists such as JT, Doja Cat, and Megan Thee Stallion have already dipped their toe into grunge music through varying beat styles and heavy drum usage. An example of this would be Megan’s 2023 release of “Cobra.” This song helped fans see her in a different light than her usual with metal elements in her music such as a guitar solo and use of heavy drums. This same embrace could also be applied to the potential release of a rock album from Queen Bey.

13. An album that leaves them wanting more

Beyoncé is known for keeping fans on their toes and always anticipating her next move so a rock album would be no different, right? Absolutely! Not only would it be legendary for Beyoncé to immerse herself in the genre with an album, but she would make history as one of the few music artists to dominate in over four music genres at once. This would allow her even more musical flexibility for future musical projects and more representation for women of color who desire careers within the rock genre.