Beyoncé's 2013 surprise studio album was titled Beyoncé.
The self-titled album was released without advance announcement on December 13, 2013, through Columbia Records and Beyoncé's Parkwood Entertainment. It appeared suddenly on the iTunes Store, accompanied by a video for every song, leading Beyoncé's team to describe it as a “visual album.”
The release changed expectations for major pop albums by replacing a long promotional rollout with an immediate digital launch. The album's songs include “Drunk in Love,” featuring Jay-Z, “Partition,” “Pretty Hurts,” “Flawless,” and “XO.” Its visual components were filmed in locations including Houston, New York, Paris, and Rio de Janeiro.
Beyoncé debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making it her fifth consecutive number-one album in the United States. The project is often cited as a major influence on later surprise releases and visual-album campaigns.