Beyoncé drops surprise 'visual album' on iTunes, debuts 'Grown Woman' music video
Late Thursday night, Beyonc? released her fifth LP on iTunes in what is being billed as an "exclusive visual album," which has taken over the digital storefront's homepage on both Mac and iOS.
For the launch of Beyonc?'s eponymous record, which came without prior announcement and is available exclusively on iTunes, Apple has replaced the music store's top ad carousel with promo pictures for the "visual album." The swipe-able iOS iTunes app counterpart has been similarly updated.
Along with being Mastered for iTunes, "BEYONC?" is what Columbia Records is calling a visual album, as it includes album-only music videos made to complement each of the 14 new songs. Other LPs released on iTunes may include one or two music videos, but none in recent memory have debuted with fully-produced video features for every track.
In additon to the matched audio/video selections are two bonus videos, one a new cut titled "Yonc?" and another for the artist's current hit "Grown Woman." The latter video is a world premier that has yet to hit traditional outlets like MTV. Also included are video credits and the usual digital booklet.
Guest collaborators include JAY Z, Drake, Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, former Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland, Justin Timberlake and Beyonc?'s daughter Blue Ivy, among others.
"BEYONC?" is priced at $15.99 and is available in both clean and explicit versions. Individual songs will be available to buy on Dec. 20.
For the launch of Beyonc?'s eponymous record, which came without prior announcement and is available exclusively on iTunes, Apple has replaced the music store's top ad carousel with promo pictures for the "visual album." The swipe-able iOS iTunes app counterpart has been similarly updated.
Along with being Mastered for iTunes, "BEYONC?" is what Columbia Records is calling a visual album, as it includes album-only music videos made to complement each of the 14 new songs. Other LPs released on iTunes may include one or two music videos, but none in recent memory have debuted with fully-produced video features for every track.
In additon to the matched audio/video selections are two bonus videos, one a new cut titled "Yonc?" and another for the artist's current hit "Grown Woman." The latter video is a world premier that has yet to hit traditional outlets like MTV. Also included are video credits and the usual digital booklet.
Guest collaborators include JAY Z, Drake, Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, former Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland, Justin Timberlake and Beyonc?'s daughter Blue Ivy, among others.
"BEYONC?" is priced at $15.99 and is available in both clean and explicit versions. Individual songs will be available to buy on Dec. 20.
Comments
A very nice collection of music and music videos.
Beyoncé rocks !
I can't think of a single thing Huddler can do correctly.
Submitting a post gets me an eternal spinnig wheel, no feedback whatsoever:
Thumb-up can be denied:
Then there are your usual WTF's:
And the constant Safari crashes do not help their reputation. I wanted to send them an email on these issues, but knowing past problems and the speeds at which they are fixed, I
never mind, posting this resulted in 5 crashes.
But yes, Beyoncé. Strange to release 17 video's accompanying an album with 14 tracks. Are looks more important than musicianship?
I'll even take Samsung news any day.
With thought provoking and deep lyrics such as:
Who run this motha? Girls!
Who run the world? Girls!
Who are we?
Who are we?
Who are we?
Who are we?
Who run the world?
I'm surprised she can't release an album every few months.
Price, Production Quality, Substance: pick any two
Otherwise, as someone who hasn't bought much music in this decade, meh.
Now if this guy does the same thing and the production quality is as good as this video, I'll bite....
[VIDEO]
My sentiments exactly.
Must be a "slow news day."
It's not about the fact that this is a Beyonce album rather about how she released it.
I have hoped that Apple would encourage artists to do more with iTunes LP and give those people who say they need the physical album so that they can look through the album artwork, read the liner notes that experience again, but very few artists do anything with it.
Not saying that I am a fan of Beyonce, but good for her doing an album like this. Oh and at least she didn't do it like Jay-Z did and give you access to his album through spyware.
What's a "Beyonc?"?
That's just her final form.
With thought provoking and deep lyrics such as:
Who run this motha? Girls!
Who run the world? Girls!
Who are we?
Who are we?
Who are we?
Who are we?
Who run the world?
I'm surprised she can't release an album every few months.
That's just the chorus. Many "quality" artists have similar, simple hooks. Hell, look at the Beatles classics like Yellow Submarine, Girls and many many many more. Why not look at the rest of the songs lyrics:
DJ don't be scared to run this, run this back
I'm reppin' for the girls who taking over the world
Help me raise a glass for the college grads
41 rollin' to let you know what time it is, check
You can't hold me (you can't hold me)
I work my 9 to 5, better cut my check
This goes out to all the women getting it in,
You're on your grind
To other men that respect what I do
Please accept my shine
Boy I know you love it
How we're smart enough to make these millions
Strong enough to bear the children
Then get back to business
See, you better not play me
Oh, come here baby
Hope you still like me
F- you hate me
You may not dig it but those are strong, empowering lyrics for women few are writing in mainstream music.
It's a slow news month. Let's get those Apple TV rumors going. Next march it'll be 2 yrs old.
It's not about the fact that this is a Beyonce album rather about how she released it.
I have hoped that Apple would encourage artists to do more with iTunes LP and give those people who say they need the physical album so that they can look through the album artwork, read the liner notes that experience again, but very few artists do anything with it.
Not saying that I am a fan of Beyonce, but good for her doing an album like this. Oh and at least she didn't do it like Jay-Z did and give you access to his album through spyware.
I actually see these two related.... what happens when JayZ/Beyonce' et al start building out their own music 'channels' on iTunes Radio with a Cross over channel on AppleTV.
I've had teen age daughters... in their day if they could, they would watch a Beyonce' only channel (Beiber... Jonas Brothers, Miley) all day long.
Apple TV has the reach... iTunes (AppleIDs) have the CCs. Think about all the iTunes Match accounts out there with kids slung off the account... and iTunes Radio and a Beyonce' album just before Xmas... how much you wanna bet this was a calculated Apple cross sell to get all those iPod nanos, iPhone 3gss and iPhone4s, iPad 2s, and old MacBooks updated to new gear plus apple TVs so the kids can "watch their albums" on 1080P TVs via airplay?
My wife says nothing gets done in big media without a plan. And if Apple is involved, one can only assume their end of the plan is the smart play.
Ever since she let Jay Z take over her musical career she hasn't made a single memorable song.
Yes, but she's made more money than she could ever spend, and that's the point of pop music.
You may not dig it but those are strong, empowering lyrics for women few are writing in mainstream music.
What’s to dig? It’s incoherent babble about nothing.
What’s to dig? It’s incoherent babble about nothing.
No it's not "incoherent babble about nothing", but – again – music is subjective.
I bought the album this morning. It's pure bedroom music and not to be crude but I'm not into deep philosophy while executing the outcomes from said bedroom music in said bedroom.
A lot of the tunes are nice-midtempo numbers. They are funky as hell. Plus Beyonce cooing in your ear makes it pretty easy to get ready for round 2,3,4.
Isn't she the singer who couldn't sing the national anthem?