Beyoncé released the surprise visual album Beyoncé in December 2013 without advance announcement.
The self-titled album appeared on the iTunes Store on December 13, 2013, accompanied by music videos for each of its tracks. Beyoncé described the project as a visual album because the songs and videos were designed to be experienced together rather than as a conventional audio release with a later video campaign.
The release was notable for its secrecy. There was no traditional pre-release single campaign, and the album arrived with a social-media announcement after becoming available. Its songs included “Drunk in Love,” “Partition,” “Flawless,” and “XO.”
The album is often called Beyoncé, while some references use Beyoncé or Beyoncé (album) to distinguish it from the artist. It should not be confused with Lemonade, her 2016 visual album, or Black Is King, her 2020 visual album and film project.