Beyoncé has done something no other major pop star has done before. On Friday, without notice, she released a self-titled album with a whopping 17 new music videos.
The Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records set is available exclusively on iTunes.
The spontaneous approach was planned as a strategy to prevent the record from being leaked.
"This is a fully designed preventative plan," a spokesperson said via statement. "The album willl be offered as a cohesive body of work with every song and every video available all at once for one single purchase."
The manufacturing of the double disc CD/DVD begins Friday. Retail outlets will have physical copies by the holidays.
Beyoncé added that she wanted to try something new. "I didn't want to release my music the way I've done it," she said in a statement. "I am bored with that. I feel like I am able to speak directly to my fans."
We're not sure anyone's ever accused Blue Ivy's mom of being boring -- and we surely weren't bored checking out all of the visuals. See our recaps below:
"Blue" feat. Blue Ivy
Yes, the song in which she sings "hold onto me Blue" to her daughter is super sweet, as is the video that captures them enjoying the company of the locals in Rio de Janeiro. But the best part comes near the end when the precious toddler says, "Hold onto me," and offers her best pronunciation of Beyoncé.
In this traditional Beyoncé ballad, she sings about the pressures and insecurities associated with being "pretty." The pageant-theme video shows the beauty contestants behind-the-scenes, fighting, being criticized about their weight, battling anorexia, getting Botox injections, and spray-on tans.
Bey sings with slurred, sultry vocals over a dark, progressive drum and bass track. The lyrics seem to imply a haunting sensual relationship with someone she calls a "ghost in the sheets." Illuminati theorists will love picking this video apart as its theme is based on Beyoncé checking into a hotel occupied by the spirits of dead people.
This booming, southern crunkfest is more outrageous than Rihanna and Chris Brown's sexually explicit "Birthday Cake" collab and Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's naughty motorcycle "Bound 2" video. Beyoncé frolics on the beach as she sings about how liquor gets her in the mood, and Jay Z loves it, describing in (too much?) detail a breakfast make-out session with his wife.
"Blow"
Beyoncé takes it back to the 1970s with this adult-themed, fun and funky roller-skating jam with a video to match.
"No Angel"
Beyoncé pays big homage to H-Town (that's Houston, Texas) with this grinding, slow jam featuring in-the-video cameos from the city's finest rappers Bun B, Paul Wall, Slim Thug, Z-Ro, Kirko Bangz, Trae that Truth, Chad Jr., and Geto Boys members Scarface, and Willie D.
"Partition"
According to this song, behind the partition in a chauffeured car is a good place for an impromptu rendezvous. Beyoncé is at her raunchiest, dropping a reference to Monica Lewinsky that will surely get noticed on the sexy, smooth hip hop banger. In the video, though, Beyoncé is determined to maintain her man's interest, treating Jay Z to private dances and flashing ample thong-shots for camera.
"Jealous"
A vulnerable Beyoncé admits to insecurities in this mid-tempo ballad. In the short, she allows jealously to consume her until she can regain her composure.
It's only fitting that this sensual ode to making love would find inspiration from Prince and D'Angelo. The video sets the mood with 4-and-a-half minutes of Beyoncé's sensual poses.
"Mine" feat. Drake
This begins as another soft, introspective track. Beyoncé's airy vocals address taking things too far as a lyrical dance routine unfolds, but the pace picks up as Drake joins in with a hypnotic, hip hop chant.
"XO"
This straight-ahead pop record is Katy Perry-cute with an amusement park-themed video.
We heard "Flawless" earlier this year. Previously called "Bow Down," it was the first leaked track from "Beyoncé." The chime-ridden melody accompanied by a driving, hefty bass groove set the tone for the star to reprimand her childhood nemeses. The video shows footage of Girls Tyme, an early incarnation of Destiny's Child, competing and losing on the "Star Search" talent competition. After the intro clip, Beyoncé parties in a dilapidated space channeling a scene from "Fight Club." The visual turns slow-motion for a pro-girl PSA from Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche.
Frank Ocean and Beyoncé sound great together on this strong ballad about unbreakable love. The video revisits the post-apocalyptic theme of "Run the World (Girls)," as the queen and a few pretty cool surprise cameos faceoff with the militaristic regime.
The serene tribute to a dearly-departed friend is depicted with a emotional clip of good times shared (tattoos, wedding, hiking) and Beyoncé paying her respects.
Beyoncé vents on this moody, electronic track. While she complains about not trusting "these record labels," she quips, "Soul not for sale. Probably won't make no money off this. Oh well. Reap what you sow." In the accompanying video, she's dressed in black -- even blackface in some scenes -- and dances against flickering lights.
"Grown Woman" (Bonus Video)
Beyoncé wins for the magical footage of baby Bey and Kelly Rowland singing the lyrics to this song. The video shows their evolution over the years and settles on modern day Mrs. Carter dancing to the song's Afro-Cuban rhythms.
Like her rap song "Diva," "Yoncé" gives her another opportunity to satisfy her hip hop muse and look pretty for the camera.
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