Beyoncé is the fifth
studio album by American singer and songwriter
Beyoncé, released on December 13, 2013, by
Parkwood Entertainment and
Columbia Records. Developed as a simultaneous audio-visual medium,
Beyoncé's songs are accompanied by non-linear
short films that illustrate the musical concepts conceived during production. Its dark, intimate subject material includes
feminist themes of
sex,
monogamous love and relationship issues, inspired by Beyoncé's desire to assert her full creative freedom.