"Run the World (Girls)" is a song recorded by American recording artist Beyoncé, from her fourth studio album 4 (2011), released as the lead single from the album on April 21, 2011. It was written by Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Beyoncé, Nick "Afrojack" van de Wall, Wesley "Diplo" Pentz, David "Switch" Taylor, and Adidja Palmer. Production was handled by Switch, The-Dream, Beyoncé, and Shea Taylor. The song's development was motivated by the fact that Beyoncé wanted something different: a mixture of different cultures and eras, a new sound, and a message which would give women strength. An unedited demo of the song, then thought to be titled "Girls (Who Run the World)", was leaked on the internet on April 18, 2011. "Run the World" premiered on US radio on April 21, 2011, and was digitally released the same day.

"Run the World" is a electropop and R&B song that heavily samples "Pon de Floor" by Major Lazer. The song's title and lyrics comprise an unapologetically aggressive message promoting female empowerment. "Run the World" initially divided critics; some complimented the song's sample, its musical direction, and Beyoncé's aggressiveness, while others criticized the continuation of past themes and stated that they wanted to see Beyoncé covering new topics. Several critics compared "Run the World" to Beyoncé's other singles with similar themes such as "Independent Women" (2000) – with Destiny's Child, and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" (2008) among others, stating that "Run the World" takes a more direct and assertive approach towards female empowerment.

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