Beyoncé’s fifth studio album, released without advance notice in 2013, was Beyoncé.
The self-titled album appeared on the iTunes Store on December 13, 2013, with no traditional pre-release campaign. Beyoncé described it as a visual album because every song was paired with a music video. The surprise strategy had a major impact on how major artists could release albums.
The project includes collaborations with Jay-Z, Drake, Frank Ocean, and Pharrell Williams. Its songs address intimacy, motherhood, feminism, fame, and self-confidence. “Drunk in Love,” featuring Jay-Z, became one of its best-known tracks, while “Partition” and “Flawless” also received substantial attention.
The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and made Beyoncé the first woman to have her first five studio albums debut at number one in the United States. It is commonly called the “visual album” to distinguish it from her later records.