Lemonade (album)

Lemonade is the sixth studio album by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. It was surprise-released on April 23, 2016, by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records, as a visual album together with a film of the same name. Beyoncé conceived Lemonade as a concept album that explores the Black female experience in the United States, allegorized as a personal journey through marital betrayal and healing, and structured as a song cycle based on the Kübler-Ross model. Categorized by critics as an eclectic, genre-blending album with avant-garde and art pop elements, it explores a variety of genres including R&B, rock, country, soul, blues, hip-hop, jazz, reggae, pop, gospel, and funk. It features guest vocals from Jack White, the Weeknd, James Blake and Kendrick Lamar.

Lemonade was hailed as an instant classic upon release and has since been named of the greatest albums of all time. Critics commended the experimental post-genre production and nuanced vocal performance, with particular praise for the political subject matter reflecting Beyoncé’s personal life. It was music critics' top album of 2016 according to the BBC, and was named the greatest album of the 2010s decade by publications such as the Associated Press. The album topped Rolling Stone's Greatest Albums of the 21st Century list, and was placed at number 10 on the Apple Music 100 Best Albums list and number 32 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. One of the most Grammy-nominated albums in history, Lemonade won Best Urban Contemporary Album and Best Music Video at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. It also won a Peabody Award in Entertainment at the 2017 Peabody Awards and received four nominations at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Lemonade topped the charts in various countries worldwide, including the US Billboard 200, where it earned 653,000 with additional album-equivalent units, including 485,000 copies in its first week of sales. It has since been certified four-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was the best-selling album worldwide of 2016, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), with 2.5 million copies sold. The album was supported by five singles: "Formation", which was a top-ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, "Sorry", "Hold Up", "Freedom", and "All Night". Four days after the release, Beyoncé embarked on The Formation World Tour, the first all-stadium tour by a female artist.

The album is considered a cultural phenomenon, sparking widespread discourse on its personal revelations and socio-political commentary. It had a significant impact on the entertainment industry, inspiring other musicians and visual artists, and ignited trends across music, fashion and pop culture. It has also been the subject of extensive analysis in academic journals, college courses, books, and museum exhibitions.