Beyoncé was the first album released in her surprise visual-album format. It appeared without a traditional pre-release announcement on December 13, 2013, through the iTunes Store.
The self-titled project was Beyoncé’s fifth studio album and included fourteen songs paired with seventeen videos. The simultaneous release meant listeners encountered both the audio album and its visual companions as one coordinated project.
Beyoncé’s surprise launch changed expectations for major pop releases. Instead of a long promotional campaign with advance singles, the project arrived suddenly and spread through discussion, social media, and media coverage. Physical editions and other digital availability followed later.
The album included songs such as “Drunk in Love,” “Partition,” and “Flawless.” It should not be confused with Lemonade, which also had a major visual component but was released in 2016 with an HBO film and a different rollout.