'That's why she's called the Queen!':  Beyoncé sends Twitter into a frenzy and iTunes into meltdown as she releases surprise fifth album

By Fay Strang

PUBLISHED: 03:13 EST, 13 December 2013 | UPDATED: 07:12 EST, 13 December 2013

She has been nicknamed the Queen for some time now.

And in the early hours of Friday morning Beyoncé lived up to her title as she released a surprise full album… along with a whopping seventeen music videos.

The 14-song collection, which is self-titled, caused iTunes to temporarily crash as fans rushed to download it, in between excitedly tweeting about the news – leading to the singer’s names trending in the UK.

Queen Bey: Beyonce (pictured here in video Pretty Hurts) sent Twitter into a frenzy and iTunes to crash

Queen Bey: Beyonce (pictured here in video Pretty Hurts) sent Twitter into a frenzy and iTunes to crash

Leading the tweets of support was Beyonce's younger sister Solange, who gushed: 'So my sister is a f***ing G. Beyoncé , the visual album out now.

'I'm sitting here watching THE most artful and perfect project ever....@Beyonce. Just layed me out.  #proudsister'

Rapper Snoop Dog posted a message on Facebook praising the singer, he wrote: 'ayyy Beyonce just chanded d game!! #getcultured.'

Fans were just as excited as one wrote: ‘Only Beyonce can drop visual album with 17 Videos, No promotion and it was all kept a secret. There is a reason why she is called the Queen.’

 

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Blogger Perez Hilton was equally as enthusiastic tweeting: ‘I'm sorry. I can't sleep! I can't stop Tweeting! @Beyonce got me buzzing! How often is #music and #art this EXCITING???? #Pop #NewRules’

Twitter user @kingjames773 wrote: '#BEYONCÉ isn't an album. It's a masterpiece. A piece of artwork. A very well put together piece of art. From the songs to the visuals.'


Delighted: Fans rushed to get their hands on the album which features song Blue (featuring her daughter Blue Ivy) and a natural looking video (pictured here)

Delighted: Fans rushed to get their hands on the album which features song Blue (featuring her daughter Blue Ivy) and a natural looking video (pictured here)

Collaborations: The album features the likes of Frank Ocean and Drake (pictured here in video for Partition)

Collaborations: The album features the likes of Frank Ocean and Drake (pictured here in video for Partition)

Changing the game: Twitter fans have declared Beyonce a genius due to her decision to surprise drop

Changing the game: Twitter fans have declared Beyonce a genius due to her decision to surprise drop


Other fans have pointed out the difference between Beyonce’s surprise album drop and more traditional release campaigns recently demonstrated by the likes of Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Britney Spears which has seen months of hype, single releases and 'buzz' tracks released to radio stations.

Twitter user @EHjovan wrote:  ‘Beyoncé announced her album on Instagram for free, and Gaga spent the GDP of a small island country, and we all know who will sell more.’

Another added: ‘The Queen Beyonce released an album at 12am without any promotion. She's a G #Beyonce’



Different looks: The release came with ready made videos - a very unusual step in the music industry

Different looks: The release came with ready made videos - a very unusual step in the music industry

Sexy: The video for Partition sees Beyonce dancing in a cage as husband Jay Z looks on

Sexy: The video for Partition sees Beyonce dancing in a cage as husband Jay Z looks on


The sentiment was reiterated again by @markprecise: ‘#Beyonce just dropped a new album on iTunes this past hour without advance notice. The best artists are always the ones who change the game.’

Accompanying the album  the 32-year-old entertainer released a statement about her decision to create a what she is calling a 'visual album'.

'I see music. It’s more than just what I hear.' she revealed.


'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.'

Collaborations on the 'exclusive visual album' include appearances from husband Jay Z, former band mates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, Frank Ocean, Pharrell Williams, Justin Timberlake, Drake and even her baby daughter Blue Ivy.

The statement continued: 'That the album is available on the day the world is learning about its release is an unprecedented strategic move by the artist to deliver music and visual content directly to her fans when she wants to and how she wants to, with no filter.'

Support: Beyonce's sister Solange tweeted a number of messages of support

Support: Beyonce's sister Solange tweeted a number of messages of support

Woof: Beyonce has upped her game in terms of aesthetics for what she calls her visual album

Woof: Beyonce has upped her game in terms of aesthetics for what she calls her visual album

'I didn’t want to release my music the way I’ve done it,' Beyonce states.  'I am bored with that.  I feel like I am able to speak directly to my fans.   There’s so much that gets between the music, the artist and the fans.'

'I felt like I didn’t want anybody to give the message when my record is coming out. I just want this to come out when it’s ready and from me to my fans.'

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I would rather 7 articles on Beyonce than just 1on Kim Kardashian.

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there's only 1 Queen of Pop & that is MADONNA! beyonce maybe queen of r&b;

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How can people say she's trying to be rihanna??? Beyonce has been around since rihanna was probably still in nappies!!! Beyonce is purely original and is simply a legend!! There is no1 around now who is as successful as her FACT!

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who runs the world?

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This is why none of these pop stars can never comparet to Beyonce. She rules this business.

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Brance yourself haters. The Queen has entered the building. Bow down.

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Oh my God the negativity I've been reading is ridiculous. Beyonce has owned 2013 with the biggest marketing stunt this generation has ever seen and she's capitalizing on it like the genius business woman she is. Prepare for a Beyonce filled 2014 people, I can hear the Grammys clanging in her arms during her acceptance speech from here. She's a beautiful, strong, talented and powerful woman who is most certainly the voice of a generation, perhaps the last timeless voice that will ever hit the mainstream for many years to come. She can dance like it's nobody's business and she's very intelligent and calculating. She radiates grace and class, and knows how to handle high pressure and controversial situations. She has won the year. People who dislike her can turn and leave because this album is gonna be massive and it doesn't need your support otherwise.

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Love the marketing stunt....Though she could have made it more herself and changed the 'Rhianna-like' feel.

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Such a gimmick. Yawn

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Not really a surprise, shes been making her album for over a year now.

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