4 (Beyoncé album)

4 is the fourth studio album by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. It was released on June 28, 2011, by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. Following a career hiatus which reignited her creativity, Beyoncé conceived 4 as a record rooted in traditional rhythm and blues that stood apart from contemporary popular music.

4 marked the first Beyoncé album after she had terminated her working relationship with her father and manager Mathew Knowles. She conceived 4 as an intimate album that departed from the commercially oriented music of her past releases. Her collaborations with songwriters and record producers The-Dream, Tricky Stewart and Shea Taylor resulted in a mellower tone that incorporates vocal styles and influences from 1970s and 1980s funk, hip-hop, and soul music. The lyrics are about monogamy, female empowerment, and self-reflection, a result of Beyoncé considering a maturer message to contend artistic credibility.

Beyoncé promoted 4 in mid-2011 through television and festival performances, including a headlining set at the Glastonbury Festival. The album received generally positive reviews by music critics; several publications included it on their year-end lists. In the United States, it became Beyoncé's first album to spend multiple weeks atop the Billboard 200 and has been certified four-times platinum. The album also peaked at number one in Argentina, Croatia, Ireland, Spain, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Five of its singles reached the Billboard Hot 100: "Run the World (Girls)", "Best Thing I Never Had", "Party", "Love On Top", and "Countdown". At the 55th Annual Grammy Awards (2013), "Love On Top" won Best Traditional R&B Performance.