Beyoncé’s 2016 album that won the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album was Lemonade.
Lemonade was released on April 23, 2016, initially as a surprise visual album through HBO and digital music services. Its songs move through themes often described as stages of grief and renewal, including intuition, anger, apathy, emptiness, accountability, reform, forgiveness, hope, and redemption.
The album blends R&B, pop, rock, blues, country, reggae, and hip-hop. Major songs include “Formation,” “Sorry,” “Hold Up,” and “All Night.” Its visual film uses poetry, music, and imagery connected to Black womanhood, family, history, and the American South.
At the 59th Grammy Awards in 2017, Lemonade won Best Urban Contemporary Album. It was also nominated for Album of the Year, while “Formation” received several nominations. The album is distinct from Renaissance, Beyoncé’s 2022 album, which won the renamed Best Dance/Electronic Music Album category.