4

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

4 is Beyoncé's fourth studio album. It was released on 24 June 2011 on Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. Recording ran from March 2010 to May 2011. It began with "Party" at Roc the Mic Studios in New York. Work then continued in studios in Atlanta, Los Angeles and Real World Studios in Wiltshire, among others. Producers included Beyoncé herself, Babyface, Jeff Bhasker, Kanye West, Ryan Tedder, The-Dream and Shea Taylor. The album marked her break with her father and manager Mathew Knowles.

It is a deliberately understated, mostly midtempo R&B record with influences from 1970s funk, 1980s pop and 1990s soul. Beyoncé chose to use live instruments. The record debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 with about 310,000 copies in its first week. In 2013 "Love On Top" won a Grammy.

Listening

Track list

1. 1Love On Top4:28Apple Music ↗
2. 2Party (feat. André 3000)4:05Apple Music ↗
3. 3Schoolin' Life4:53Apple Music ↗
4. 4Countdown3:33Apple Music ↗
5. 5I Miss You2:59Apple Music ↗
6. 6Dance For You6:16Apple Music ↗
7. 7I Care3:00Apple Music ↗
8. 8Rather Die Young3:43Apple Music ↗
9. 91+14:34Apple Music ↗
10. 10End of Time3:44Apple Music ↗
11. 11Run the World (Girls)3:58Apple Music ↗
12. 12Best Thing I Never Had4:14Apple Music ↗
13. 13Start Over3:19Apple Music ↗
14. 14I Was Here3:58Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

Sources

1. Wikipedia (en): 4 (Beyoncé album