Lemonade is the 2016 Beyoncé visual album that includes “Formation.”
Beyoncé released Lemonade on April 23, 2016, through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. It arrived alongside an hour-long film broadcast on HBO, making the project both a music album and a visual narrative. The album combines styles including R&B, rock, country, blues, pop, and hip-hop.
Its songs address love, betrayal, family history, Black identity, and resilience. “Formation,” released before the album's arrival, became one of its most recognizable tracks and was accompanied by a politically charged music video. Other prominent songs include “Sorry,” “Hold Up,” and “Freedom.”
Lemonade received broad critical acclaim and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Its visual presentation and thematic structure are why it is often described as a visual album rather than simply a collection of music videos. Renaissance and Cowboy Carter are later Beyoncé albums.