Beyoncé’s 2011 album 4 contains the hit song “Run the World (Girls).”
4 was Beyoncé’s fourth solo studio album and was released on June 24, 2011. The title refers directly to the number of studio albums she had released as a solo artist at that point. The album followed I Am... Sasha Fierce and preceded Beyoncé’s self-titled 2013 album.
“Run the World (Girls)” served as the lead single. Its production draws on energetic dance and electronic influences, while its lyrics present a celebratory statement about women’s power. Other songs on 4 include “Love on Top,” “Countdown,” and “Best Thing I Never Had.”
The album title is often written simply as the numeral 4, rather than as a word. It also has personal significance in Beyoncé’s family: she was born on September 4, and her mother, Tina Knowles, was born on January 4.