“Formation” was the first single released from Beyoncé’s 2016 album Lemonade.
Beyoncé released “Formation” on February 6, 2016, as a surprise digital single and made it available with a free music video. The song was written by Beyoncé, Mike WiLL Made-It, Swae Lee, and others, and its production combines contemporary hip-hop with New Orleans musical references.
The song’s video and lyrics address Black identity, Southern heritage, police violence, and cultural pride. Its imagery includes references to New Orleans and Beyoncé’s family background, making it one of her most discussed visual works.
Lemonade followed on April 23, 2016, as a multimedia project combining music and film. Other prominent songs from the album include “Sorry,” “Hold Up,” and “All Night.” Those tracks are associated with the album but were not its first single; “Formation” introduced the project publicly.