Beyoncé’s 2011 studio album featuring “Run the World (Girls)” is titled 4.
Released on June 24, 2011, 4 was Beyoncé’s fourth solo studio album, which explains its numerical title. She recorded it after taking a break from her previous professional management arrangement and described the project as a way to broaden her musical influences. The album draws on soul, funk, pop, R&B, and African rhythmic elements.
Its singles included “Run the World (Girls),” “Best Thing I Never Had,” “Countdown,” and “Love on Top.” Although “Run the World (Girls)” was the lead single, “Love on Top” became especially prominent after Beyoncé performed it at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. The album title is sometimes confused with its release year, but 4 was issued in 2011, not 2004.