Beyonce shocked the world overnight when she suddenly released her new self-titled album on iTunes without warning. A new album was not expected to be released until next year, but the 32-year-old singer decided to give the world an early Christmas present.
A follow-up to 2011’s 4, Beyonce was released just after midnight to the surprise of fans and industry critics alike. The “visual album” features 14 tracks and 17 music videos (one for each song plus a bonus three) and is now available on iTunes. Featured guests on the album include husband Jay Z, her daughter Blue Ivy, Drake, Frank Ocean and Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
The album is also packed with songs written by some of the best in the music business. Justin Timberlake, Pharrell and Timbaland are credited with writing “Blow” on the album while Ryan Tedder and The-Dream (“XO'”), Frank Ocean (“Superpower”), Miguel (“Rocket”), Drake and Noah “40” Shebib (“Mine”), Sia (“Pretty Lights”), Caroline Polachek (“No Angel”) and Hit Boy (“Bey Reel”) help round out the star-studded lineup.
Beyonce described her reasoning behind releasing a visual album saying, “I see music. It’s more than just what I hear. When I’m connected to something, I immediately see a visual or a series of images that are tied to a feeling or an emotion, a memory from my childhood, thoughts about life, my dreams or my fantasies. And they’re all connected to the music.”
iTunes is expected to have a week-long exclusive on the album before it is released in stores worldwide on Saturday, December 21.
To download the new album click here.
Beyonce tracklisting:
- “Haunted”
- “Pretty Hurts”
- “Drunk in Love” (Featuring JAY Z)
- “Blow/Cherry”
- “Yoncé/Partition”
- “Jealous”
- “Rocket”
- “Mine” (Featuring Drake)
- “XO”
- “Flawless” (Featuring Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
- “Superpower” (Featuring Frank Ocean)
- “Heaven”
- “Blue” (Featuring Blue Ivy)
Beyonce music video list:
- “Pretty Hurts” directed by Melina Matsoukas
- “Ghost” directed by Pierre Debusschere
- “Haunted” directed by Jonas Åkerlund
- “Drunk in Love” directed by Hype Williams
- “Blow” directed by Hype Williams
- “Angel” directed by @lilinternet
- “Yoncé” directed by Ricky Saiz
- “Partition” directed by Jake Nava
- “Jealous” directed by Beyoncé, Francesco Carrozzini & Todd Tourso
- “Rocket” directed by Beyoncé, Ed Burke & Bill Kirstein
- “Mine” directed by Pierre Debusschere
- “XO” directed by Terry Richardson
- “***Flawless” directed by Jake Nava
- “Superpower” directed by Jonas Åkerlund
- “Heaven” directed by Beyoncé & Todd Tourso
- “Blue” directed by Beyoncé, Ed Burke & Bill Kirstein
- “Grown Woman” directed by Jake Nava
