Beyoncé released the self-titled album Beyoncé without prior announcement in December 2013.
The visual album appeared on the iTunes Store on December 13, 2013, with no traditional pre-release campaign. It contained 14 songs and 17 accompanying music videos, making the project a major shift in how a global pop release could be presented.
The album included “Drunk in Love,” “Partition,” “Pretty Hurts,” and “Flawless.” Its surprise arrival generated intense online attention and helped popularize the phrase “surprise album” for major releases that bypass conventional advance promotion.
It is often informally called the “visual album,” but Beyoncé is the official title. That distinction prevents confusion with Lemonade, another Beyoncé visual album released in 2016 and already known for its narrative about infidelity, heritage, and healing.