Beyoncé became the first album by a woman to debut at number one in 100 countries.
Beyoncé released the self-titled album without advance announcement on December 13, 2013. It arrived as a complete visual album, with a music video accompanying every song, and the surprise strategy attracted immediate worldwide attention. The release included “Pretty Hurts,” “Drunk in Love,” “Partition,” and “Flawless.”
The album’s chart achievement is often simplified in retellings. The important point is that it debuted at number one in 100 countries on the iTunes Store, a digital retail network, rather than literally topping every national album chart. Beyoncé also became her fifth consecutive solo studio album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. That combination of surprise release, visual storytelling, and global digital distribution made the project a major turning point in album marketing.