Wiki
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Release Date
13 December 2013
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Length
32 tracks
"Beyoncé" is the fifth studio album by American singer Beyoncé. A visual album, it was released unexpectedly on 13 December 2013 through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records, with songs and accompanying videos recorded in secrecy prior to its release.
Beyoncé collaborated with several producers and songwriters, inviting them to live at her residence for an extended period in mid-2012. Following a pause due to touring, recording resumed in early 2013, during which she explored styles beyond contemporary R&B. The resulting album blends electro-R&B with elements of alternative R&B, electronic music, and soul. Its production is characterised by textured, ambient soundscapes featuring heavy bass, percussion, and synthesizers. The lyrics are personal and assertive, addressing themes of sexuality and monogamy from a feminist perspective, reflecting Beyoncé’s desire for full artistic control.
The album broke the record for the fastest-selling release in iTunes Store history. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and has been certified five-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Internationally, it reached number one in Australia, Canada, Croatia, the Netherlands, and Poland. Five singles were released: "Blow", "XO", "Drunk in Love", "Partition", and "Pretty Hurts", with "Drunk in Love" reaching number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. The album was reissued as a Platinum Edition on 24 November 2014 and was promoted through the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour and the co-headlining On the Run Tour with Jay-Z.
Critics widely praised "Beyoncé" for its experimental production, vocal performance, and thematic exploration of sexuality, with some considering it the artist’s magnum opus. At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards (2015), the album won Best Surround Sound Album, and "Drunk in Love" won Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance. In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked the album 81st in their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The album has been noted for popularising the contemporary visual album format, and its surprise release influenced the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry to standardise Global Release Day to Fridays.
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