Beyoncé’s 2013 surprise visual album is titled Beyoncé.
Beyoncé was released without advance promotion on December 13, 2013, exclusively through the iTunes Store. The unannounced release surprised audiences because neither a conventional lead-single campaign nor a public release schedule had preceded it. The album included 14 songs and 17 accompanying music videos, making the visual component part of the album’s central design rather than a later bonus.
The project was Beyoncé’s fifth studio album and followed 4, released in 2011. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making Beyoncé the first woman to have her first five studio albums debut at number one in the United States.
The album included collaborations with Jay-Z, Drake, Frank Ocean, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Its tracks include “Drunk in Love,” “Partition,” “Flawless,” and “Pretty Hurts.” It is commonly called the “visual album,” while its official title is simply Beyoncé.