5 Reasons Why Beyonce's Surprise Album Release Is A BIG Deal
We are still trying to digest and recover from Beyonce's sudden release of her new self-titled album on 13 December, which consists of 14 songs and 17 albums all released at the same time!
By Esther Chung — 17 Dec 2013, 04:28 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
Beyonce Just Released A New Self-Titled Album On Friday The 13th Without Any Warning
Beyoncé just shocked the music world by releasing her fifth studio album without warning, and the ramifications don't end there.
theverge.com
The singer secretly recorded 14 new songs and 17 new music videos for her self-titled fifth studio album, and shocked fans, critics, the music industry, and even some of her close friends at midnight on Dec. 13 when she released the "visual album" on iTunes.
usmagazine.com1. Beyonce And Her Team Started Recording And Producing The Album In Secret Since 2012
The production of the album is carried out with more secrecy than you can imagine!
Image via tumblr.comThe project began in the summer of 2012 when a number of writers and producers sequestered themselves in a single house in The Hamptons to live and work together.
fuse.tvBeyonce and her team gave the album a code name "Lily" and the whole operation "TNO" for "tell no one."
cafemom.comEven people who participated in Bey's album knew only exactly what they needed to know to do their jobs, and nothing more.
cafemom.comAnd, some of that secrecy required some innocent fibbing to the press. "The few people involved that knew had to lie a little so it didn't blow the whole thing. It was worth it."
usmagazine.com2. Beyonce Did Not Release Singles Or Promo Videos Prior To Releasing The Album. She Released The Whole Album On Friday Itself.
The stealth rollout of the Beyonce's new album upended the music industry’s conventional wisdom, and was a smashing success.
In bypassing the industry’s traditional promotional machinery, she demonstrated social media’s power to amplify news and to forge a direct connection to her audience.
Lee Ann Callahan-Longo, the general manager of Beyonce’s production company Parkwood Entertainment, who released the album alongside Columbia Records said innovation has become vital for an album release, especially because so many artist's albums leak before the official release.
3. The Album Broke iTunes' Record With More Than 800,000 Copies Sold In Just Three Days
Beyonce's "surprise" fifth album has broken iTunes sales records, with 828,773 copies sold in just three days. The majority of those sales came in the US, where it has racked up 617,213 sales since its release on Friday.
In the UK, the self-titled album cracked the top five in just 48 hours, after shifting 68,000 copies.
4. Because It Was First Released Online, Target Music Store Refuses To Sell Beyonce's New Album
"At Target we focus on offering our guests a wide assortment of physical CDs, and when a new album is available digitally before it is available physically, it impacts demand and sales projections," Target spokesperson Erica Julkowski tells Billboard.
billboard.com
"While there are many aspects that contribute to our approach and we have appreciated partnering with Beyonce in the past, we are primarily focused on offering CDs that will be available in a physical format at the same time as all other formats. At this time, Target will not be carrying Beyonce’s new self-titled album ‘Beyonce."
time.com
5. Beyonce's Daughter, Blue Ivy, Makes An Appearance In What She Calls Her 'Visual' Album
In an accompanying statement, the 32-year-old entertainer spoke about her decision to create a what she is calling a 'visual album'.
dailymail.co.uk'I see music. It’s more than just what I hear.' Beyonce revealed.
dailymail.co.ukThe accompanying videos feature cameo appearances from the star's friends and family including husband Jay Z, baby daughter Blue Ivy, her mother and her Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.
dailymail.co.uk