Beyoncé’s fourth studio album was titled 4.
Released in 2011, 4 was named for the number of studio albums Beyoncé had released at that point. The title also carried personal significance: Beyoncé was born on September 4, Jay-Z was born on December 4, and the couple married on April 4. The number has therefore appeared repeatedly in Beyoncé’s personal and artistic symbolism.
The album represented a shift toward a more traditional R&B and soul sound while retaining pop and dance elements. Its singles included “Run the World (Girls),” “Best Thing I Never Had,” “Party,” and “Love on Top.” “Love on Top” later became one of the album’s most celebrated tracks.
4 followed I Am... Sasha Fierce and preceded Beyoncé’s self-titled 2013 album. It is sometimes mistaken for a reference to the year 2004, but the title is a number rather than a year.