Beyoncé released the self-titled album Beyoncé without advance notice in December 2013.
The album appeared on the iTunes Store on December 13, 2013, with no conventional pre-release campaign. Beyoncé described it as a visual album because every song was accompanied by a music video or visual component.
Its surprise release changed expectations for how major albums could reach audiences. Songs included “Drunk in Love,” “Partition” and “Flawless,” while the project blended R&B, pop and hip-hop influences.
The album is often confused with Lemonade, another major Beyoncé project, but Lemonade arrived in 2016 and used a more explicit narrative structure. The 2013 album’s official title is simply Beyoncé, not a subtitle or numbered edition.