Critical fear protected Beyoncé from criticism despite her declining record sales

Evidence

In 2024, Beyoncé was crowned Billboard’s “Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century.” She had amassed a record ninety-nine Grammy nominations and won thirty-five. … The Daily Beast asked bluntly, “Why Are People So Deathly Afraid of Criticizing Beyoncé?” — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 636

Categorization

• QUESTION: Is the reluctance to criticize Beyoncé a genuine function of her overwhelming stature, or of audience hostility to critics who do?