Lemonade is the Beyoncé album that tells a seven-part story linked to the stages of grief.
Released in 2016, Lemonade is both a studio album and a film. Its visual presentation was broadcast on HBO, and the project combines music with poetry, imagery, and scenes exploring betrayal, identity, family, race, and healing.
The album’s narrative is organized into chapters associated with emotions and stages including intuition, denial, anger, apathy, emptiness, accountability, and reform. It draws on a wide range of sounds, including R&B, rock, country, blues, reggae, and hip-hop.
Lemonade includes “Formation,” “Sorry,” “Hold Up,” and “Freedom.” It debuted at number one in several countries and received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. Its storytelling and visual structure made it one of Beyoncé’s most critically discussed releases.