Halo

'Halo' is a textbook example of modern pop ballad writing: a single diatonic four-chord loop in A major repeated throughout, with all dramatic contour delegated to dynamics, layered production and the vocal performance. The absence of a strong dominant resolution keeps the harmony open-ended, reinforcing the song's sense of sublime, ongoing devotion.

Ryan Tedder, lead vocalist of OneRepublic, composed 'Halo' with Evan 'Kidd' Bogart after OneRepublic canceled their tour because Tedder had torn his Achilles tendon and undergone surgery. The band sent Tedder to Los Angeles, where he and Bogart were socializing when Tedder expressed his desire to write a song. Although Bogart initially opposed the idea because Tedder was supposed to be recuperating, the pair went to Tedder's studio and wrote the song there. It was conceived specifically for Beyoncé, though media speculation later suggested it had been intended for Leona Lewis.

Written by Ryan Tedder and Evan 'Kidd' Bogart for Beyoncé's third studio album I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), 'Halo' became one of the defining ballads of its era. Released as the album's fourth single in early 2009 by Columbia Records, it won the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and earned massive multi-platinum certifications worldwide, with its Philip Andelman-directed video becoming Beyoncé's first to surpass one billion YouTube views.