Beyoncé’s first studio album released without a lead-up promotional campaign was Beyoncé.
The self-titled album arrived unexpectedly on December 13, 2013, through the iTunes Store. Beyoncé and her label announced the release only after the album became available, making it a landmark example of a surprise album launch. The project contained 14 songs and 17 accompanying music videos, giving it a strong visual-album identity.
The release strategy rejected the usual sequence of advance singles, interviews, and extensive pre-release advertising. Its arrival quickly generated global attention and influenced later music-release campaigns by Beyoncé and other artists.
This album is distinct from 4, which was released in 2011, and from Lemonade, released in 2016. It is also often called the “visual album” because every song had an associated video, although its official title is simply Beyoncé.