#98 Beyoncé by Beyoncé
The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
- 2013 Album Rank
- 98
- Total Points
- 663
- Year Released
- 2013
- Billboard 200 Chart Peak
- 1
- Weeks at #1
- 3
- RIAA Sales Certification
- 6,000,000 (Multi Platinum)
- Buy Album
- Apple Music Amazon
Beyoncé Album Details
Beyoncé, released without warning on December 13, 2013, is the fifth studio album by Beyoncé and a defining moment in the evolution of modern pop and R&B. Presented as a visual album, it included 14 songs and 17 accompanying videos, challenging the traditional album rollout model and instantly shifting industry expectations. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was widely praised for its artistic ambition, vulnerability, and sonic experimentation.
The album explores themes of sexuality, feminism, motherhood, infidelity, Black identity, and empowerment with raw honesty and lush production. Collaborators include Jay-Z, Drake, Frank Ocean, Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, and producers from Beyoncé's Parkwood team. Musically, it blends elements of R&B, hip-hop, soul, electronic, and trap, all wrapped in highly stylized visual storytelling that elevated the entire project into an immersive, multimedia experience.
Interesting Facts About Beyoncé
- The album was released unannounced on iTunes at midnight with no prior promotion, instantly going viral and selling over 800,000 digital copies in just three days.
- Drunk in Love featuring Jay-Z became a major single, highlighting Beyoncé's chemistry with her husband and showcasing a darker, more experimental sound.
- ***Flawless included a now-iconic sample from Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TED Talk on feminism, helping spark mainstream conversations about gender equality.
- Partition pushed sexual boundaries and was one of Beyoncé's boldest visual and lyrical statements, embracing agency and female desire.
- The visuals for each song were filmed secretly in locations across the globe, from Paris to New York to Rio de Janeiro, with directors like Melina Matsoukas and Jonas Åkerlund involved.
- Mine featuring Drake fused ethereal R&B with confessional lyrics about love, doubt, and domestic complexity, reflecting Beyoncé's vulnerability beneath the stardom.
- Blue features vocals from her daughter Blue Ivy, reinforcing the personal nature of the album and its celebration of motherhood and legacy.
- The album's digital-first release revolutionized the industry, influencing how artists like Drake, Kanye West, and Taylor Swift would later unveil albums.
- Despite lacking traditional promotion, the album won three Grammy Awards in 2015 and was named one of the best albums of the decade by numerous publications.
- Beyoncé marked a turning point in her career, positioning her not just as a pop star, but as a cultural auteur, blending activism, intimacy, and artistic control.
Beyoncé Tracklist
- Run the World (Girls)
- ***Flawless
- Get Me Bodied
- Blow
- Haunted
- Drunk in Love - Reached #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
- 1+1
- Partition - Reached #23 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
- Heaven
- XO
