4 (Beyoncé album)

Untitled

4 is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles, released through Columbia Records on June 24, 2011. Three weeks before its scheduled release, 4 leaked in full. The twelve-song set (eighteen on the deluxe edition) marks the first release by Knowles since separating professionally with father and manager, Mathew, in March 2011. In 2010, Knowles took a break from her career to rest and gain perspective. During the hiatus, she dedicated herself to enjoying the everyday things in life, which she claims reignited her creativity and became a source of inspiration. Knowles also drew inspiration from Fela Kuti, Earth, Wind & Fire, Lionel Richie, with additional influences from The Jackson 5, New Edition, Florence and The Machine, Adele, and Prince, among others.

For the record, Knowles allowed herself the artistic freedom to record songs in which she wanted the melody and lyrics to come together naturally. She mixed the 1970s R&B, the 1990s rock ‘n’ roll as well as her hip hop character and used a lot of horns to create a new and broader sound with musical changes, bridges, vibrata, live instrumentation, and classic songwriting. Knowles' main objective was to bring back the emotion, live instruments and soul music, which according to her, were missing out of the music industry. Allowing herself to belt out some ballads featured on the track-listing of 4 which she described as "a labor of love" Knowles further explained that she used a lot of the brassiness and grittiness in her voice that people had heard in her live performances, however, not necessarily on her studio material.

The record is predominately a R&B and pop music album; critics noted a predominant late 1970s and early 1980s R&B and soul music influences. 4 takes on matters of the heart with a mixture of ballads, mid- and up-tempos. Common themes in the album include womanhood and monogamy. Upon its release, 4 received mostly positive reviews from critics, who viewed it as a progression from Knowles' previous albums and commended its mid-tempo musical style, understated production, and her vocal performance. However, some criticized its ballads and songwriting. In the United States, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 310,000 copies in its first week. It also became a number-one chart hit in several other countries.

Preceding the album's release, lead single "Run the World (Girls)" was released for digital download worldwide on April 21, 2011. The single was rushed for release after an early demo leaked on April 18, 2011. "Best Thing I Never Had" was released on June 1, 2011, as the album's second single. "Love On Top" was sent to Australian radio on September 12, 2011 as the third single in Australia. "Countdown" was released as the third single in the US, it was sent to US mainstream and rhythmic radio on October 4, 2011, while "Party" was released as the album's third urban single in the US on October 24, 2011.

Background

Before starting to record her album, Knowles drew inspiration from the music made by late Fela Kuti (pictured).

During an interview with Elysa Gardner of USA Today on January 28, 2010, Knowles announced that she would be taking a break from her music career saying "to live life, to be inspired by things again". Knowles, who had a very hectic schedule during the I Am... Sasha Fierce era from late 2008 to early 2010, stated that she came with up with this decision after that her mother, Tina Knowles' advice to take some time off. She told Jocelyn Vena of MTV News: "After I finished the last tour, I was a bit overwhelmed and overworked, and my mother was the person that preached to me [...] 'You really need to live your life and open your eyes and you don't want to wake up with no memories." During this reflective time in her life, Knowles began work on her fourth album, and was writing and producing material, following the release of I Am... Sasha Fierce in November 2008, which was inspired by her alter ego, Sasha Fierce. Knowles announced in February 2010 that she "killed" Fierce "because I've grown and now I'm able to merge the two [personalities]". She explained that she was using live instruments in the songs she was recording to create her own music genre. She later clarified the statement, "Well, I wouldn't say I'm inventing a new genre. I'm mixing every type of genre that I love and I'm inspired by every type of genre...I'm not putting myself in a box. It's not R&B, it's not typically pop, it's not rock – it's just everything I love mixed together". Knowles said that the album was inspired by several musicians, including Fela Kuti, The Stylistics, Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson.

Self-management

In late March 2011, Knowles' publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, issued a statement that Knowles and her father as well as manager, Mathew Knowles have parted ways "on a business level." Knowles took this decision during her break from her music career. The elder Knowles has managed his daughter since she debuted in the late 1990s as the lead vocalist of the Destiny's Child. Knowles' father went on to manage the careers of her groupmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams both as a trio and on their respective solo projects. However, in the past few years, Rowland and Williams severed professional ties with Mathew. Knowles said via her publicist that she is grateful for the role her father has had in her career. In this way, 4 became the first album by Knowles that was made without the guidance of Matthew Knowles. Elaborating more on the subject with Ray Rogers of Billboard magazine, Knowles said:

"It's not that anything bad happened between us. My family has my support always, and they support me, but when you've been working with the same people for 15 years, it's natural to eventually have your own ideas. I believe that parents prepare their kids for the moment that they're on their own: at this point, I'm taking everything my dad and my mother have taught me, and I'm able to do things my way. We were at a point where we'd learned so much from each other, and now it's exciting for me to do this on my own and hire my own team. I've started managing myself."

Knowles later told Vena of MTV News that she thought that a real change meant separating from her father as her manager. She further added that: "My focus is not bigger; it's quality, and I want to make sure it's something I'm proud of years from now," she says later on. "It's very difficult managing myself. Every night when I go to sleep, I ask hundreds of questions. I'm making mistakes, and I'm learning from them. I've never been afraid to fall — and I say all these things, but now I'm being tested."

Development

	The album is definitely an evolution. It’s bolder than the music on my previous albums because I’m bolder. The more mature I become and the more life experiences I have, the more I have to talk about. I really focused on songs being classics, songs that would last, songs that I could sing when I’m 40 and when I’m 60."
—Beyoncé Knowles, Rap-Up.

During a private listening party, Knowles spoke to a select group of fans about the conception of her album: "I wanted to do something refreshing and different. So I mixed genres and drew inspiration from touring, traveling, watching rock bands, and attending festivals… I was like a mad scientist, putting lots of different songs together." Knowles spoke more about the album in an interview with Billboard magazine, stating "Having time to grow as a human being really inspired me and gave me a lot of things to pull from for this new album...I feel like I know who I am and don't feel like I have to put myself in a box. No one can define me. I can just have fun, and have the artistic freedom to do whatever I want." As stated by Knowles during an interview with Gabriel Alvarez of Complex magazine in July 2011, the inspiration for 4 came from a variety of sources during her break from her music career when she traveled, read, and watched films. Dissatisfied with the state of contemporary radio, she set about brewing a concoction entirely of her own design, based on familiar influences as well as ones that might surprise. She explained. "Figuring out a way to get R&B back on the radio is challenging. Everything sounds the same on the radio. With 4 I tried to mix R&B from the [19]70s and the [19]90s with rock ‘n’ roll and a lot of horns to create something new and exciting. I wanted musical changes, bridges, vibrata, live instrumentation, and classic songwriting." With that being said, Knowles added that 4 was more of "a labor of love" rather than just singles and radio songs. Feeling that she has "earned the right to make artistic music", Knowles' main objective was to bring back "the emotion and live instruments and just soul missing out of the music industry."

She remained inspired by Fela Kuti. When speaking about her inspiration by Kuti, Knowles stated that she appreciated his "feel for the soul and heart of his music; it's so sexy, and has a great groove you get lost in," stating that is takes a major inspiration on 4 with drums and horns and "how everything was on the one". The album was also inspired by '90s R&B, Earth, Wind & Fire, DeBarge, Lionel Richie, Teena Marie with additional influences by The Jackson 5, New Edition, Adele, Florence and the Machine, and Prince. Knowles also acknowledged the direct influence of Jay-Z's own work as well. Knowles added that with certain influences she added her character of hip-hop for a more broad sound. Knowles stated that she allowed herself more freedom to really belt out some songs, and bring soul singing back stating, "I used a lot of the brassiness and grittiness in my voice that people hear in my live performances, but not necessarily on my records." Speaking more on the type of songs she wanted on the album, Knowles elaborated: "I have found that with hit records the melody and lyrics come together [naturally]. I usually know from the hook if the song is something that transcends language, race, and genre, and if it is something that affects pop culture. It is something I can visualize people singing in stadiums all over the world. But my favorite songs on my albums are usually not my singles." Before ending her interview with Gabriel Alvarez, Knowles made it clear that she is not claiming perfection and that what she wants is just to be afforded the freedom that goes with being what she rightfully is:

"There is room on this earth for many queens. I have an authentic, God-given talent, drive, and longevity that will always separate me from everyone else. I have been fortunate to accomplish things that the younger generation of queens dream of accomplishing. I have no desire for anyone else’s throne. I am very comfortable in the throne I have been building for the past 15 years. It is important to have no boundaries in my music. The beautiful thing about art is that you can create a fantasy in your mind about what you think a song is about. Only the writer truly knows what or whom the song is about. I just want my legacy to be great music. Someone who was a risk taker and someone who had songs that struck conversation and emotion."

Production

Collaborations

Warren (pictured) had wanted to work with Knowles since Destiny's Child, but revealed that "I Was Here" was the perfect time.

She started the process by playing music with the band from Fela!, the Broadway musical based on the life of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, and recorded songs everywhere from New York to Australia to Peter Gabriel's studio in the English countryside city of Bath. She worked with multiple collaborators; both old and new. Producers Jim Jonsin and Ne-Yo were known to have collaborated with Knowles on the album. Ne-Yo stated, "It’s coming along nicely. I can’t speak too much on it, but it’s another direction for her, and she’s carving out her own niche. In a minute nobody will be in Beyoncé’s lane. They really can’t get in her lane now, but they really can’t get in her lane after this album." Jonsin spoke of his intention to create 1980s-influenced electro music using hard drums. In January 2011 producer S1 confirmed via Twitter that he had contributed to the album. Sean Garrett mentioned his contribution, stating that he had "been working with [Knowles] extremely hard ... she's my favorite". He described the style of music that had been produced, "I think we are doing a lot of up-tempo records for this one. She’s in such a good place right now in life that she is interested in making party music". On January 24, Diplo announced that he had been recording music with Knowles, Switch and Derek Miller of Sleigh Bells. Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, The-Dream Bangladesh, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Frank Ocean, Kanye West, Q-Tip and Alja Jackson are also working with Knowles on the album. Sia and Talay Riley have written songs which they pitched for the album. On May 31, 2011, the American rock group, OneRepublic consisting of Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins, confirmed via Twitter that they worked on the last song for the album.

The-Dream (left) and Christopher Stewart composed the opening song, "1+1".

Diane Warren revealed in an interview with PopWrap on June 1, 2011, that she also contributed to the album. She stated, "I just wrote something a week and a half ago that Beyoncé recorded and I think it's the best thing I've ever written. She sang it amazingly. I think it's a career song and probably my favorite thing I've ever written... right now." Knowles explained to Gabriel Alvarez of Complex magazine how she discovered Odd Future member, Frank Ocean: "Jay[-Z] had a CD playing in the car one Sunday when we were driving to Brooklyn. I noticed his tone, his arrangements, and his storytelling. I immediately reached out to him—literally the next morning. I asked him to fly to New York and work on my record." She also said that she was very happy and keen with Kanye West who handled the production of "Party" on which André 3000 is the featuring artist. This is because West's single "Runaway (2010) drove her to the edge of tears the first time she heard. She further said: "The fact that he’s belting out his pain, his confusion, and his anger, with no pre-written lyrics, was so moving. He’s singing his heart out for five minutes. He is so vulnerable. I love when an artist can be so honest." Speaking more abut her experiences which had a direct influence the production and recording of the album, Knowles posted on her official website: "When I played Etta James it was the most I'd learned about myself until the recording of this album. When I went into the studio I used the same passion, honesty, and approach with my vocals I channeled as Etta James. It does not sound like the vocals on my past albums. It's a lot rawer. It comes from a deep place."

Recording

Recording sessions for 4 took place at various recording studios around the world, including at Record Plant in Los Angeles.

Most of 4 was recorded at MSR Studios, New York City; other New York City recording studios used were Jungle City Studios, Germano Studios, Roc the Mic and KMA Music. Recording also took place at Conway Recording Studios, Enormous Studios and Record Plant in Los Angeles, The Studio in Las Vegas, Patriot Studios in Denver, Boston Harbor Hotel in Boston, Conway Recording Studios in Hollywood, Triangle Sound Studios in Atlanta and Lear 60/G2 Studios. Outside of the United States, Real World Studios in Box, Metropolis Group in London, Avex Honolulu Studios, Honolulu, and a studio in a Sydney mansion built specifically for the album. Knowles' husband, Jay-Z, was working with Kanye West on Watch the Throne in the Sydney studio at the same time; it was created in the mansion's attic without a recording booth, but only a microphone and Pro Tools software platform. Knowles' vocals for 4 were recorded through an Avalon Design 737 preamp, and compressed in an 1176 Peak Limiter with a 4:1 data compression ratio.

In May 2010, Jordan Young aka DJ Swivel started working with Knowles at Rock The Mic, initially recording "Party" to see what kind of a working relationship might form. Young said: "I pride myself on being a fast engineer, and I was able to execute all she wanted me to do in that first session; thankfully, she liked the job, and the speed that I worked at, and we then started discussing the beginning of the record." Six weeks later, he got another call. After just a few days at Rock The Mic, they considered that it was necessary to move to a bigger room, so they decamped to KMA Studios for a week and a half. The project then moved to MSR Studios, where most of the work was accomplished, although a total of over 10 studios were used over the course of the album. Young further elaborated:

Near the beginning we did a couple of days with the Fela Kuti band [from the Broadway musical] over at MSR, which involved experimenting with horns, percussion, drums, guitars and keys. We'd be taking loops, like a section of percussion — congas for example — and then using them on a completely different record; and that record might be a completely different tempo or in a different key, so we'd literally be pitching it as we went. I used Elastic Audio [in Pro Tools] to fit and stretch it. Having fun is the best way I can put it; there were no rules. OK, it's not the most orthodox way of doing things, but it was very freeing, and having the ability to do whatever you want and whatever she wants was a very cool way to start.

Young also recalled: "Beyoncé really co-produced this whole album herself as well. For the rest of us, it was executing her ideas. It was: bring a horn section in, a live bass player¸ being able to meld all those live instruments along with the programmed element of it to bring in a new sound." In February 2011, it was made known that the project was near completion. Nearly three months later, Knowles submitted 72 songs to her label in preparation for the album’s release. A source of The Sun stated that Columbia Records staff, who were overwhelmed, "weren't prepared for the sheer volume of material she presented to them. She's clearly been very productive. Now they have the hard job of going through all the music and deciding what will make it."

Compositon

Music and themes

Knowles cited British acts Adele {left} and Florence and the Machine (right) as an influence on 4. During separate interviews, both Welch and Adele revealed that they were honored to be an influence on Knowles.

As stated by Knowles, 4 takes on matters of the heart with a mixture of ballads, mid- and up-tempos, all built around "classic songwriting." The Guardian reviewer, Alexis Petridis, notes a predominant 1980s-R&B influence throughout 4, and commented how "More often, 4 retreats into R&B's past." Jon Caramanica of The New York Times views the album's sound as a musical departure from the contemporary influences of Knowles' previous work, writing that "It has far more in common with soul albums of the late 1970s and early ’80s — the poppier side of Jennifer Holliday, say — than anything by her so-called peers; it’s a position statement in the age of Rihanna." Chicago Sun-Times's Thomas Conner compares its "subtle and surprising" music to that of Adele's 2011 album 21, noting 4's "mostly mid-tempo treats, many of which try a little sonic experimentation thanks to a varied bunch of forward-thinking writers and producers."

James Reed of The Boston Globe described its sound as "plush" and "mellower" than that of her previous albums, and noted its principal theme as "the ups and downs of a serious relationship." According to Pitchfork Media's Ryan Dombal, the album's themes mostly concern monogamy, and writes that the album's music "side-steps Top 40 radio's current Eurobeat fixation for a refreshingly eclectic mix of early-90s R&B, 80s lite soul, and brass'n'percussion-heavy marching music." Nitsuh Abebe of New York writes of Knowles' themes of vulnerability on the album: "the way she sings about love here—which is to say, love as a grave and weighty life choice that demands hushed music, spotlights, and occasional anguish—means singing about things that can sound more like weakness and dependency." Mikael Wood of Spin noted "slow-to-bloom songs that are as preoccupied by love's pleasure ('1+1,' 'Rather Die Young') as by its pain ('I Care,' 'Best Thing I Never Had')."

Song structure and lyrical content

"1+1" is a downtempo power ballad derived from the genres of R&B and soul music. The song features "a soft, almost non-existent" backing beat, and makes use of a guitar and a piano as its foundation, while wind chimes and funk-influenced bass instrumentation is also present. Matthew Perpetua of Rolling Stone felt that "1+1" calls back to both Sam Cooke's "Wonderful World" (1960) and Prince's "Purple Rain" (1984). Using simple arithmetic to describe her undying love for her partner, Knowles sings to the former, and "explains that the only thing she's sure about is her feelings for this man". Slowly spreading synthesizers notes and a drum-machined as well as a hand-clapped rhythm, "I Care" writhes through the ache and the obsession that come from being the one left in love, as described by Holly Gleason of Paste magazine. "I Miss You" is a midtempo ballad, which draws form the genres of R&B and contains elements of pop music. Built on a simple puttering metronomic beat "I Miss You"'s instrumentation consists of "layers of atmospheric keyboards", ambient synthesizers, and tinny 808 drums Described by Matthew Horton as a song that "tug[s] heartstrings", "I Miss You" finds Knowles, as the female protagonist, ruminating over her relationship with her ex-love interest without firm verdicts. "Best Thing I Never Had" is a midtempo pop and R&B ballad with influences of gospel music. Its instrumentation consists mostly of a piano melody intro and outro as well as strings with some layered female vocals providing background support to Knowles' singing. Lyrically, "Best Thing I Never Had" is about the breakup between Knowles as the protagonist and her lover, the break-up suiting both parties.

"Party" is a mid paced song that draws from the genre of R&B. It also exhibits elements of funk music, as well as soul music, and is built on "scooping, gliding multi-tracked" 1990 girl-ground harmonies, as stated by Thomas Conner from the Chicago Sun-Times, and Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork Media. According to David Amidon of PopMatters, the song's music "is largely reminiscent of late 1980s diva histrionics"; it has a 808-retro beat and a 1980s style smooth groove. This is further illustrated by the song's instrumentation, which consists of 1980s slow-bouncing synthesizers and bubbly 1980s keyboard tones. Lyrically, "Party" finds Knowles as the female protagonist in the mood for some loving as well as referencing to a get-together for two persons. In the chorus lines, Knowles she harmonizes over the sample of the 1985 song, "La Di Da Di". André 3000 surfaces around the 2:15 mark with some very naughty references to milk before switching gears altogether and getting philosophical about his own career. Conrad Tao of Sputnikmusic stated that in "Rather Die Young", Knowles plays the female protagonist who is in love with a "bad boy" who "drive too fast" and "smoke too much", nevertheless, she considers him to be her James Dean and futher adds that he makes her feel like she is seventeen." Knowles declares that she prefers to die young rather than to live her life without her lover and that she will never stop caring for him even though he does not care for her. "Start Over", which is a love song, begins with "warbly as well as lighthearted drum beats", and finds Knowles affirming her individuality and expressing her love for a man with whom she attempts to start a relationship all over again.

"Love on Top" is an up-tempo R&B song viewed as a modern take on old school music. It also exhibits elements of retro-soul music and the 1980s pop music. According to Slant Magazine's Eric Henderson, "Love on Top" is a "bright, breezy tribute to the freshness of mid-[19]80s, pre-new-jack-FM R&B reminiscent of a pre-crack Whitney Houston and pre-wack Anita Baker". "Love on Top"'s retro elements are further illustrated by its use of finger snaps and a melding of horns as well as sweet backing harmonies, especially in the bridge and the chorus of the song. It is instrumentally complete with a thumping bass line, synthesizers, tribal drums and an arena-rock music piano, a guitar and some backing vocals. Rich Juzwiak of The Village Voice, who compared "Love on Top" to Raydio's "You Can't Change That" (1979) and New Edition's "Mr. Telephone Man" (1984), noted that Knowles "ecstatically and hyperactively" changes keys six times during the entire song. As stated by Scott Shetler of PopCrush, Knowles constantly sings praises of her love interest in the first verse where she also seemingly sends him subtle digs as he did not give her his full attention in the past.

"Countdown", which samples "Uhh Ahh" performed by American group Boyz II Men, was considered to be "everywhere on the genre map" by Consequence of Sound's Chris Coplan. "Countdown" makes heavy use of staccato horns, and rides a "disjointed military rhythm", containing "an agitated" Afrobeat heavy brass riff. Additional instrumentation on the song includes a "squelchy keyboard", synthesizers, and 180 BPM steel drums. Throughout the song, Knowles sings with "a sassy attitude", setting a "futuristic tone", as stated by Jocelyn Vena. According to Dombal, "Countdown" finds Knowles as the female protagonist delivering her "message of ten years of loyalty seeming just as thrilling as the first time" to her love interest. "End of Time" is an uptempo R&B-dance song. The song also contains elements of funk, Afrobeat and Latin jazz. Its instrumentation consists of marching band percussion, heavy drums, and staccato horns reminiscent of the B'Day era. Thanks to these musical instruments, a high energy level is maintained throughout the song. Charley Rogulewski of AOL Music commented that the song channels Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall" (1980) production with horns kicking in midway through the song. Brad Wete of Entertainment Weekly added that "End of Time" also has some vibes of Michael Jackson's 1983 single, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". Lyrically, "End of Time" is about Knowles, as the female protagonist, professing her everlasting love with both ferocity and passion.

According to Georgette Cline of AOL Music's The Boombox and David Amidon of PopMatters, "I Was Here" is a downtempo R&B ballad, which lyrically features Knowles, as the female protagonist, who wants to make her mark on this Earth before her time is up as she desires that the world remember her impact." "I Was Here" finds Knowles' vocals coming along over piano keys and big drums provided by OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder and his fellow bandmate Brent Kutzle, and indie-rock guitars. "Run the World (Girls)" is an R&B and pop song. Jocelyn Vena of MTV News described the song as a "female empowerment/girl power type of song", like several of Knowles' previous singles, including "Independent Women" (2000)—with Destiny's Child—and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" (2008). Shea Taylor said that the track is reminiscent of Michael Jackson's "prime" work. "Run the World (Girls)" also generates dancehall influences in the tradition of "Get Me Bodied". The "high energy" song contains elements of go-go, and is set to a marching beat which samples popular club song, "Pon de Floor" by Major Lazer and Vybz Kartel. It consists of heavy synth pangs and a militaristic drumbeat beneath Knowles shout vocals. Sharp African percussion is represented in the song by intense band-style drums. As stated by Rap-Up, Knowles is dominant over men in "Run the World".

As stated by Ian Walker of AbsolutePunk, "Schoolin' Life" consists of old-school horns, crashes as well as a 1980s-inspired beat and "literally oozes confidence". Channeling Prince, Knowles detailing her experiences growing up. In other words, she gives listeners a flashback to her friskier days: "I'm not a teacher, but baby I can teach you somethin' / Not a preacher but we can pray if you wanna / Ain't a doctor, but I can make you feel better / But I'm great in writing physical love letters/ I'm a freak all day, all night [...]." On "Lay Up Under Me", Knowles tells her love interest: "You ain't gotta worry [a]bout a club, just come on lay up under me tonight." Ryan Domabal of Pitchfork Media found the song to be largely reminiscent of the Off the Wall era. "Dance for You" bears resemblance to Prince's work as well as Janet Jackson's work.

Titling and artwork

Knowles stated in an interview with Billboard magazines's Ray Rogers that the title 4 was influenced by her fans. "I had a whole other name and concept, but I keep seeing that the fans love the name '4,' and I think it would be a really nice thing to let them name the record". She also stated that the number four was "special" for her as her birthday and wedding anniversary are on the fourth day of the month. Knowles added, "My mother's birthday, and a lot of my friends' birthdays, are on the fourth." The album's official cover (standard version) was revealed on Knowles' official website on May 18, 2011, the same day the album's official release date was revealed and the album's lead single "Run the World (Girls)" music video premiered. On the album cover, Knowles is shown striking a pose as she gazes out into the distance with smokey eye makeup and has her arms raised over her head with thick gold cuffs, covered only with a fur vest accessorized in gold. The cover art for the deluxe edition was shown on June 16, 2011 and has Knowles wearing a tight-fitting blue-purple dress holding her hands in her hair.

Fashion has always played a big role in Knowles' artistic persona. The difference, this time, was in her choice of designers. Instead of sticking to major fashion houses, Knowles threw the spotlight on a number of up-and-coming designers whose names were likely to be unfamiliar at that time. Knowles’s creative director, Jenke-Ahmed Tailly, along with her stylist Ty Hunter, pointed her in the direction of those designers. In an interview by telephone with Jessica Michault of The New York Times, Tailly said: "The album is a musical gumbo of everything Beyoncé likes. Each song really has a different personality so we decided to do the cover like an editorial for a magazine, with each song having its own style. [...] It was important to Beyoncé that the choice of clothing not be about the brand but about the quality of the work."

On the cover art of the standard version of the album, Knowles is wearing a fox-fur stole by the cult French designer Alexandre Vauthier embellished with Swarovski crystals by the Lesage embroidery house. Vauthier’s work also shows up inside the fold-out cover, as does a pair of "Daisy Duke" shorts by the young French designer Julien Fournié, who founded his brand only three years ago. Even student designers got a look-in: Lleah Rae, who was a recent graduate of Parsons the New School for Design, in New York, created a form-fitting bodysuit for the album spread. For the deluxe version of the album, which features extra songs and remixes, a photograph of Knowles in a purple-and-black beaded dress by the French designer Maxime Simoens, who described Knowles as "style innovator and an avant-gardist", replaced the fur stole as the cover image.

On the back of both versions of the album, Knowles is photographed in a vintage Azzedine Alaïa jacket and a pair of high heels by the Dutch designer Jan Taminiau. Alongside renowned photographers like Ellen von Unwerth and Tony Duran, Knowles also tapped the young French photographer Greg Gex to shoot the cover art. Gex was introduced to Knowles by Tailly. Robbie Daw of Idolator stated that Knowles is in "full-on promo mode" and compared Knowles' pose to that of Raquel Welch. Jocelyn Vena of MTV News described Knowles as looking "sexy and empowered" on the cover art.

Release and promotion

The album's US release date was revealed the same day as the music video for "Run the World (Girls)" premiered, that is, on May 18, 2011. On June 7, 2011, three weeks before its scheduled release, 4 leaked in full. Knowles' legal representatives issued warnings to infringing websites, and leaked tracks were soon removed from such sites. However, some people used Twitter to link to the music, making it harder for the label to track down the music. On June 9, 2011, Knowles took to her Facebook account to respond to the leak. "My music was leaked and while this is not how I wanted to present my new songs, I appreciate the positive response from my fans. When I record music I always think about my fans singing every note and dancing to every beat. I make music to make people happy and I appreciate that everyone has been so anxious to hear my new songs." Following the album's leak, news circulated that executive members at Columbia Records were scrambling to cover their assets ahead of a dawning realization that Knowles' fourth album might be a dud. Fox News Channel reported that an insider told The New York Post that "they are very nervous about Beyonce’s new record. It does not have the hit songs that her fans are used to. They asked her to make changes, but she said no." There was even rumors about a reassembling Destiny’s Child "in a desperate bid to shore up this cash cow before the end of the fiscal year." A few days later, a Columbia reply said: "All I know is that the record came in [...] Nothing was ever discussed to change it.", and Knowles' reply added: "All of this is completely untrue. All of it."

The deluxe edition of the album was released simultaneously with the standard edition in several countries's iTunes Stores and other retail outlets. However, in the United States, the deluxe edition was available exclusively at the Target as of June 28, 2011. Each copy of 4 contained a sample of Knowles' fragrance, Heat, and the deluxe edition included six additional songs, including three remixes of "Run the World (Girls)" and an exclusive director's cut of its video. During the release week of the album, Rob Stringer, the Chairman of Columbia records, sat in an interview with Gary Graff of Billboard magazine during which he firmly denied rumours which circulated before the release of the album which suggested that they were not pleased with the ballad heavy collection and had been having talks about reforming Destiny's Child as a form of damage limitation. He also said that there had even been plans to the album's release date forward even after its leak:

"The story about us being unhappy with the record and stuff is just not true. There's never been any doubt or conversations about moving the record or changing it [..] Those conversations never existed. The numbers are very good everywhere. We thought the record is great from the beginning, and some of the stuff that is happening now is vindication of it. We're really, really happy with it. We didn't want the leaks to happen. But there was never any discussion of this album moving. It has always been that date (June 28). It's been that date for four months now. There was never a conversation about pushing it back, bringing it forward, changing the songs – none of it."

Marketing

Knowles performing "Run the World" on Good Morning America, July 2011.

On May 11, 2011, Knowles held an album listening party in New York City where she previewed four songs for a selected group of fans. She also offered them a preview of the official video for the lead single "Run the World (Girls)". Beginning on June 16, 2011 to June 27, a song from 4 was available to listen to in full each day on Knowles' official website, paired with its accompanying photo spread from the album packaging and an insightful quote. Knowles performed "Run the World" live for the first time on May 17, 2011 on Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular at the United Center in Chicago. The show was organized to commemorate the 25th and final season of The Oprah Winfrey Show. Knowles was dressed in a tuxedo leotard with red heels, and was accompanied by 40 female back-up dancers. Knowles performed "Run the World" live on May 22, 2011 at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The performance showed Knowles interacting with futuristic video projections on the stage backdrop, and was accompanied by 100 back-up dancers. On May 25, 2011, "1+1" was made available for download via the iTunes Store as a promotional single exclusively in the United States. The same day, Knowles performed "1+1" on the American Idol finale. She introduced "1+1" as her "favorite" song, and sang it in a purple dress with red lights and smoke surrounding her.

Knowles appeared on Entertainment Tonight on June 16, 2011 to promote the exclusive-to-Target deluxe edition of 4, and gave fans a sneak preview of its television commercial. The 30-second commercial, which features "1+1" and "Countdown" playing in the background, began airing in the United States on June 24, 2011. The commercial ends with Knowles stating: "I put so much into my new album and only Target gives you all of it." For the rest of the month, Knowles held a promotional tour in Europe, where she performed at several festivals. Beginning in France, Knowles headlined three concerts. She first performed at the Palais Nikaia in Nice on June 20, 2011, followed by a concert at Zénith in Lille on June 22, 2011, and at the Galaxie in Amnéville the next day. One week later, Knowles flew to the United Kingdom to serve as the closing act at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival on June 26, 2011. Alongside with the two singles from 4, the 90-minute set-list composed of twenty-one other songs, including "Crazy in Love", "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "Halo", "Sweet Dreams", "Telephone", "End of Time", and a Destiny's Child medley. The set list also included cover versions of Prince's "The Beautiful Ones" and Kings of Leon's "Sex on Fire". Knowles was the first solo female artist ever to headline the Pyramid stage at the Glastonbury Festival in over twenty years.

	I am a workaholic and I don’t believe in 'no'. I don’t believe in 'I need to sleep'. If I’m not sleeping, nobody’s sleeping. I’m one human being. It’s a lot. If I want to be a businesswoman, I’m a businesswoman. Independence is not easy."
—Beyoncé Knowles, MTV television special, Beyoncé: Year of 4.

A pre-taped performance of Knowles performing "Best Thing I Never Had" and "End of Time" at the Glastonbury Festival was broadcast during the 2011 BET Awards in the United States later during the same day. The following day, Knowles' exclusive hour-long interview with Piers Morgan in London, was broadcast on Piers Morgan Tonight. Knowles then returned to France, where she performed "Run the World" on Le Grand Journal on June 28, 2011. She also appeared on the finale of X Factor France later during that same day to perform "Run the World" and "Best Thing I Never Had". A MTV television special, Beyoncé: Year of 4, premiered on June 30, 2011, documenting Knowles' practicing choreography, jetting around the world, shooting the video for "Run the World", and also in the studio working on 4. During that same day, Knowles made a surprise appearance at the Target store in Harlem, New York, where kids from the local Boys and Girls Club danced onstage to "Countdown." In the middle of their performance, Knowles took the stage and gave them a big group hug before letting them continue their routine. Knowles told the crowd, "I'd like to thank the Boys and Girls Club for coming out. I hope y'all had fun learning the choreography to 'Countdown' today."

In July 2011, Knowles promoted 4 by projecting images from the album on a number of London's landmarks, including Madame Tussauds and Battersea Power Station. On July 1, 2011, Knowles appeared on Good Morning America as part of the "Summer Concert Series", which took place at Central Park in New York City. Knowles performed "Single Ladies", "1+1", "Best Thing I Never Had", "Run the World", and "End of Time". She first appeared in a bright yellow crochet mini-dress with gold stilettos, and later changed her dress into an identical black one. A few days later, Knowles performed the song on Macy’s 35th Annual 4 July Fireworks Spectacular. She took the stage, dressed black gown to perform "Best Thing I Never Had" in front of an audience that included men and women of the armed forces. Knowles then traveled to Scotland to perform at the T in the Park Festival on July 10, 2011. Wearing a sparkly black dress with a pair of tiny black hotpants, Knowles performed several songs from the album, as well as her most well-known hits, "Crazy in Love" and "Single Ladies". The next day, Knowles performed at the Oxegen Festival in Ireland.

On July 28, 2011, Knowles made an appearance on The View, where she performed a stripped down version of "Best Thing I Never Had". She then sat down for an interview with the hosts of the show, where she talked about her time off, the album, and her upcoming film A Star Is Born. Knowles later returned to the stage where she performed "1+1". Later that same day, Knowles appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and performed "Best Thing I Never Had" with The Roots. Knowles took the stage at New York's Roseland Ballroom for four nights of special performances. The set on each night of the 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concerts was the entire collection of 4. For these four special nights, August 14, 16, 18 and 19, she performed her new songs to a standing room only audience. Knowles performed "Love on Top" at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, August 28, 2011. A performance of Knowles singing "Countdown" live on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon was taped in July 2011. The performance aired on November 11, 2011. A DVD, Live at Roseland: Elements of 4, directed by Knowles, Ed Burke and Anthony Green, and executively produced by Knowles, was released worldwide in late November 2011. It features performances from Knowles' 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concert, bonus offstage footage, a 20-page booklet and a video anthology featuring seven music videos from 4.

Singles

"Run the World (Girls)" was released as the album's lead single on April 21, 2011. After snippets of "Run the World (Girls)" were leaked on April 14, 2011, the entire song was leaked four days later; forcing the single release of "Run the World (Girls)" to be rushed. Its accompanying music video was shot over the span of three days by director Francis Lawrence, starting on April 11, 2011 and ending on April 13, 2011. The video premiered on May 18, 2011 on American Idol. The single peaked only at number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its commercial reception was better in Oceania and some European territories. It peaked inside the top ten positions in Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia), and Norway. Further more, it reached the Top 20 in Ireland, the UK, France, Canada, and Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders). "Best Thing I Never Had" was released as the album's second single. It premiered on US radios on June 1, 2011, and was made available for download the same day. "Best Thing I Never Had" peaked at number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It performed well on the charts in Ireland and the United Kingdom where it achieved peaks of number two and three respectively. It also reached number 5 in New Zealand and number 17 in Australia. The third official single, "Countdown", impacted both CHR/Top 40 and Rhythmic radios on October 4, 2011 in the United States. It was digitally released in Belgium on October 21, 2011. It was released in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria on November 25, 2011. It will be released in the UK on December 6, 2011.. "Party" was released as the album's fourth overall and third urban single in the US on October 24, 2011.

Tour

As reported by the Chairman of Knowles' label: "The main concentration for the next few months is to get this record working everywhere. She's well versed in being a global artist. The touring plan is extensive."

Reception

Critical response

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(73/100)
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Entertainment Weekly	(B)
The Guardian
Los Angeles Times
Pitchfork Media	(8.0/10)
PopMatters	(6/10)
Rolling Stone
Slant Magazine
Spin	(8/10)
The Village Voice	(favorable)

4 received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 73, based on 36 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Slant Magazine's Eric Henderson described the album as "predominately intimate, ballad-heavy" and "dominated by mid- to no-tempo tracks, which, vocally speaking, gives her enough rope to hang either her doubters or herself". Los Angeles Times writer Randall Roberts called 4 "a surprising, confident turn, even if the surprises are of a subtler variety." James Reed of The Boston Globe called the album "low-key and effortless" and commended its production as "tasteful, sometimes even a bit tense." Nitsuh Abebe of New York complimented Knowles' "newly settled mood" and "charming" ballads, adding that "She does a wonderfully convincing job of making [vulnerability] seem like a form of bravery." Consequence of Sound writer Chris Coplan dubbed it "pure pop excellence" and stated, "the truly dazzling aspect of the record is what it does with minimal production and simplistic lyrics." Rolling Stone writer Jody Rosen commended Knowles for "leav[ing] fashionable production styles behind" and called the album "eccentric [...] unmistakably personal and quirky." Michael Cragg of The Observer complimented "the laid-back feel of her most accomplished album yet." The A.V. Club's Genevieve Koski stated, "Beyoncé’s artistic maturation on 4 features some growing pains, but the album’s polish and her poise go a long way toward masking those flaws."

BBC Online's Matthew Horton praised its "powerhouse balladry" and wrote that "Beyoncé slips from flirty to fragile to fabulous, and is in terrific voice throughout." Jon Caramanica of The New York Times stated, "[Knowles] has always been a torch singer in waiting, anticipating the day when she could just get down to business. On that count, “4” is impressive. [...] Beyoncé delivers heartbreak with purpose: to remind us just how overwhelming love can be." Despite panning "Run the World (Girls)" as its "worst song", Mikael Wood of Spin called it an "often-gorgeous collection of ballads and mid-tempo cuts rich with echoes of late-'70s/early-'80s pop-soul." Rich Juzwiak of The Village Voice called its uptemo songs "passé in the best way possible" and stated, "Beyoncé's art is delivery, and 4 is a gorgeous frame for her voice at its absolute best." Pitchfork Media's Ryan Dombal complimented its "carefree retro sensibility" and stated, "the lion's share of the album [...] has one of the world's biggest stars exploring her talent in ways few could've predicted, which is always exciting." Embling of Tiny Mix Tapes called it "one of the most consistent and enjoyable mainstream pop records in years" and stated, "4 is an unqualified success in the Hawksian sense: There are at least three great songs and no bad ones." Allmusic editor Andy Kellman stated, "the strength of most of the material, propelled by Beyoncé’s characteristically acrobatic vocal skills, eases the trouble of sifting through the disjointed assortment" and concluded that, "No one but one of the most talented and accomplished singers [...] could have made this album."

Despite calling its up-tempo songs "genre-busting", Adam Markovitz of Entertainment Weekly found its first-half "lumbering [...] a sleepy recital of ballads" and stated, "Vocally, she's never sounded better — throaty and precise — but the songs here just aren't her equal." Alexis Petridis of The Guardian stated, "The highpoints offer hints of what it might have been: it's hard not to feel that what it might have been sounds better than what it is." David Amidon of PopMatters found much of its material "beneath a woman as talented as she is," but viewed the album as an improvement over I Am... Sasha Fierce and complimented its "silly ‘80s musical references" and "strong vocal turns." Kevin Ritchie of NOW wrote that "On 4, she’s still missing a real sense of vulnerability but steps out from behind the club jams with beautifully nuanced mid-tempo production." Claire Suddath of Time criticized its lyrical substance, writing that it offers "well-executed songs performed by a talented woman who refuses to scratch anything more than the surface." Chicago Tribune writer Greg Kot noted an "inexplicable inconsistency" and stated, "the album feels skimpy, half-finished." Similarly, Andy Gill of The Independent called its songs "dollops of [...] tremulous, over-emoted melisma" and criticized their "half-hearted, puttering beats and woozy, wishy-washy synth washes." Hamish MacBain of NME noted "boring ballads" and stated, "there’s the unmistakable sense of someone treading water, with even the OK bits here sounding uninspired." Q gave the album three out of five stars and wrote that Knowles "plays it safe".

Commercial performance

On its first day of sales, 4 shipped more than 10,000 copies in Poland, more than 120,000 copies in Brazil, and sold around 32,000 in the United Kingdom on its first day itself. According to The Official Charts Company data, 4's opening day sales were more than the combined sales of its three nearest challengers, being Adele's 21 (2011), Lady Gaga's Born This Way (2011), and Adele's first studio album 19 (2008) for that day. After a complete week of sales, 4 debuted atop the UK Albums Chart on July 4, 2011, with first-week sales of 89,211, In its second week of release, 4 remained atop the chart, selling 44,929 copies. For the week commencing July 4, 2011, 4 opened at number two on the Australian ARIA Albums chart, giving Knowles her highest ever chart debut on that chart, and started at number one on its urban chart. 4 debuted at number three on the Canadian Albums Chart selling 8,700 copies in its first week, and at number two in France selling 12,393 copies in its first week. According to the Japanese music charting site Oricon, the album debuted at number ten, selling 18,984 copies for the week ending July 11, 2011.

In the United States, 4 debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 310,000 copies. This gave Knowles her fourth consecutive solo debut at the top of the chart and makes her the second female artist and third artist overall, to have her first four studio albums debut atop the Billboard 200. 4's first-week sales became Knowles' lowest sales start with a studio album to date. However, Keith Caulfield of Billboard magazine commented that the album was not released during the festive season and that Knowles was so far lacking a hit single, which could help explain the album's softer entry. Its lead single, "Run the World (Girls)" peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 – the first time the first single from a Knowles' studio set has missed the top ten. He finally added that "4's bow is pretty big for 2011. It marks the third-largest sales week of the year, after the [number one] bows of Lady Gaga's Born This Way and Adele's 21." 4 became the ninth solely-numerical titles (including roman numerals) to have reigned since the chart launched as a weekly survey the week of March 24, 1956. In its second week, the album remained at number one on the Billboard 200, despite an 63% sales decrease, selling 115,000 copies. It hence became the first album by Knowles to top the Billboard 200 albums chart for more than one week. On August 1, 2011, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of one million copies to retail stores. For the week ending September 10, 2011, 4 fell to number 12 on the US Billboard 200, after having spent eight consecutive week in the top 10 positions. However, after Knowles' performance at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, 4 registered an 87% rise in sales, allowing it to re-enter the top 10 of the US Billboard 200 at number seven, selling 39,000 copies for the week ending September 17, 2011. As of November 2011, 4 has sold 921,400 copies in the United States.

Accolades

4 was nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Album at the 2011 American Music Awards, and Album of the Year at the 2011 Soul Train Music Awards. It is also nominated for Album of the Year at the 38th People's Choice Awards, and Best Album at the 2011 Virgin Media Music Awards.

James Montgomery of MTV News put 4 at number 20 on his list of "The 20 Best Albums Of 2011" calling it an "artfully anachronistic album." Montgomery also noted "But given time, most (myself included) have come to love its classy flourishes and classically influenced roots. From big-boned ballads to weirdo world-music jams, 4 is clearly the disc on which Beyoncé makes her bid for artistic credibility." The writers of BBC Online also put the album at number 7 on their list of "Top 25 Albums of 2011".

Track listing

Standard edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"1+1"	Terius Nash, Christopher Stewart, Beyoncé Knowles	Knowles, The-Dream, Tricky Stewart	4:33
2.	"I Care"	Jeff Bhasker, Chad Hugo, Knowles	Bhasker, Knowles*	3:59
3.	"I Miss You"	Frank Ocean, Shea Taylor, Knowles	Knowles, S. Taylor	2:59
4.	"Best Thing I Never Had"	Kenny Edmonds, Antonio Dixon, Knowles, Patrick Smith, S. Taylor, Larry Griffin, Jr., Caleb McCampbell	Knowles, Babyface, Dixon, S. Taylor, S1 & Caleb	4:13
5.	"Party" (featuring André 3000)	Kanye West, Bhasker, Knowles, André 3000, Dexter Mills, Douglas Davis, Ricky Walters	Knowles, West, Bhasker*	4:05
6.	"Rather Die Young"	Bhasker, Luke Steele, Knowles	Bhasker, Knowles*, Steele*	3:42
7.	"Start Over"	S. Taylor, Knowles, Ester Dean	Knowles, S. Taylor	3:19
8.	"Love on Top"	Knowles, Nash, S. Taylor	Knowles, S. Taylor	4:27
9.	"Countdown"	Nash, S. Taylor, Knowles, Dean, Cainon Lamb, Julie Frost, Michael Bivins, Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris	Knowles, S. Taylor, Lamb	3:32
10.	"End of Time"	Knowles, Nash, S. Taylor, David Taylor	Knowles, The-Dream, Switch, Diplo	3:43
11.	"I Was Here"	Diane Warren	Ryan Tedder, Brent Kutzle, Knowles^, Kuk Harrell^	3:59
12.	"Run the World (Girls)"	Nash, Knowles, Wesley Pentz, D. Taylor, Adidja Palmer, Nick van de Wall	Switch, The-Dream, Knowles*, S. Taylor*	3:56
Total length:				46:33

Japanese bonus track

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
13.	"Dreaming"	Edmonds, Dixon, Knowles, Smith	Knowles, Edmonds, Dixon	4:39

Deluxe edition bonus disc

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Lay Up Under Me"	Knowles, Sean Garrett, Mikkel Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, S. Taylor	Knowles, S. Taylor	4:13
2.	"Schoolin' Life"	Knowles, Nash, S. Taylor, Carlos McKinney	The-Dream, Knowles*, Los Da Mystro*	4:53
3.	"Dance for You"	Knowles, Nash, Stewart	Knowles, The-Dream	6:17
4.	"Run the World (Girls)" (Kaskade Club Remix)	Nash, Knowles, Pentz, D. Taylor, Palmer, Afrojack	Switch, The-Dream, Knowles*, S. Taylor*, Kaskade	5:02
5.	"Run the World (Girls)" (Red Top Club Remix)	Nash, Knowles, Pentz, D. Taylor, Palmer, Afrojack	Switch, The-Dream, Knowles*, S. Taylor*, Jens Bergmark, Diplo	6:02
6.	"Run the World (Girls)" (Jochen Simms Club Remix)	Nash, Knowles, Pentz, D. Taylor, Palmer, Afrojack	Switch, The-Dream, Knowles*, S. Taylor*, Julian Napolitano	6:19

(*) Denotes co-producer
(^) Denotes vocal producer

Notes

• The deluxe edition contains an exclusive version of the music video for "Run the World (Girls)".

Sample credits

• "Party" samples "La Di Da Di" as performed by Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew featuring MC Ricky D., and written by Douglas Davis and Ricky Walters.
• "Countdown" samples "Uhh Ahh" as performed by Boyz II Men, and written by Michael Bivins, Nathan Morris and Wanya Morris.
• "Run the World (Girls)" samples "Pon de Floor" as performed by Major Lazer, and written by Afrojack, Adidja Palmer, Wesley Pentz and David Taylor.
• "Dreaming" samples "We Will Rock You" as performed by Queen, and written by Brian May.

Personnel

• Credits taken from Knowles official site.

Managerial

• Naima Cochrane – marketing
• Scott Greer – marketing
• Beyoncé Knowles – executive producer
• Meaghan Lyons – A&R operations
• Ty Ty Smith – A&R
• Teresa LaBarbera Whites – A&R

Performance credits

• Beyoncé Knowles – vocals, background vocals
• André 3000 – vocals, background vocals
• Luke Steele – background vocals
• Kanye West – background vocals
• Consequence – background vocals
• Ryan Tedder – background vocals
• Billy Kraven – background vocals

Visuals and imagery

• Tony Duran – photography
• Neal Farinah – glam team
• Greg Gex – photography
• Ty Hunter – fashion director
• Kimberly Kimble – glam team
• Lisa Logan – glam team

• Adam Larson – art director
• Melina Matsoukas – creative consultant
• Raquel Smith – stylist
• Jenke Ahmed Taily – creative director
• Francesca Tolot – glam team
• Ellen Von Unwerth – photography

Instruments

• Pete Wolford – guitar
• Nikki Glaspie – drums
• Lee Blaske – strings
• Drew Sayers – baritone, tenor
• Chad Hugo – rhythm guitar
• Jeff Bhasker – keyboard, guitar solo, keyboards and drum programming
• Rob Suchecki – guitar
• Cole Kamen-Green – trumpet
• Josiah Woodson – trumpet
• Nick Videen – tenor, alto saxophone

• Alex Asher – trombone
• Morgan Price – baritone saxophone, tenor
• Shea Taylor – alto saxophone, horns arrangement
• Luke Steele – guitar
• Robert "R.T." Taylor – guitar
• Pat Thrall – guitar
• Johnny Butler – tenor saxophone
• Jack Daley – bass guitar
• Ryan Tedder – drums, piano, additional programming
• Brent Kutzle – cello, guitar, additional programming

Technical and production

• Terius "The-Dream" Nash – production
• Christopher "Tricky" Stewart – production
• Beyoncé Knowles – production, vocal production
• Jeff Bhasker – production
• Shea Taylor – production
• Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds – production
• Antonio Dixon – production
• Symbolyc "Larry Griffin, Jr." One – production
• Caleb McCampbell – production
• Kanye West – production
• Luke Steele – production
• Tom Coyne – mastering
• David "Switch" Taylor – production
• Ryan Tedder – production
• Brent Kutzle – production
• Kuk Harrell – vocal production, vocal recording
• Wesley "Diplo" Pentz – production
• Carlos "Los Da Mystro" McKinney – production
• Kaskade – mix, additional production
• Jens Bergmark – mix production
• Julian Napolitano – mix production
• Jordan "DJ Swivel" Young – recording, vocal recording, mixing

• Mark Gray – engineering assistant
• Jason Sherwood – engineering assistant
• Steven Dennis – engineering assistant
• Pete Wolford – engineering assistant
• Scott Barnett – engineering assistant
• Tony Maserati – mixing
• Val Brathwaite – mixing assistant
• Ryan Kelly – engineering assistant
• Serge Nudel – mixing assistant, engineering assistant
• Gloria Kaba – engineering assistant
• Serban Ghenea – mixing
• John Hanes – mixing engineer
• Phil Seaford – mixing assistant
• Gaylord Holomalia – engineering assistant
• Christian Mochizuki – engineering assistant
• Edwin Delahoz – engineering assistant
• Justin Hergett – engineering assistant
• Jon Castelli – engineering assistant
• Ramon Rivas – engineering assistant
• Chris Soper – engineering assistant
• Smith Carlson – engineering assistant
• Eric Aylands – engineering assistant
• Jon Sher – engineering assistant

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2011)	Peak position
Argentine Albums Chart	3
Australian Albums Chart	2
Australian Urban Albums Chart	1
Austrian Albums Chart	13
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)	4
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)	4
Brazilian Albums Chart	1
Canadian Albums Chart	3
Croatian Albums Chart	2
Czech Albums Chart	2
Danish Albums Chart	5
Dutch Albums Chart	2
Finnish Albums Chart	24
French Albums Chart	2
German Albums Chart	5
Greek Albums Chart	5
Hungarian Albums Chart	8
Irish Albums Chart	1
Italian Albums Chart	4
Japanese Albums Chart	10
Mexican Albums Chart	31
New Zealand Albums Chart	3
Norwegian Albums Chart	4
Polish Albums Chart	2
Portuguese Albums Chart	3
Russian Albums Chart	5
Scottish Albums Chart	1
Slovenian Albums Chart	6
South African Albums Chart	5
South Korean International Albums Chart	1
Spanish Albums Chart	1
Swedish Albums Chart	13
Swiss Albums Chart	1
Taiwanese Albums Chart	1
UK Albums Chart	1
UK R&B Albums Chart	1
US Billboard 200	1
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	1

Certifications

Country	Certifications
Australia (ARIA)	Gold
Poland (ZPAV)	Platinum
United States (RIAA)	Platinum

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label	Edition(s)
Australia	June 24, 2011	CD, digital download	Sony Music Entertainment	Standard, deluxe
Austria		Digital download		Standard
Switzerland
Belgium		CD, digital download		Standard, deluxe
Germany
Ireland				Standard
Netherlands				Standard, deluxe
France	June 27, 2011			Standard, deluxe
Hong Kong
New Zealand
Poland				Eco, standard, deluxe
United Kingdom			RCA Records	Standard, deluxe
Argentina	June 28, 2011	Digital download	Sony Music Entertainment	Standard
Brazil		CD, digital download		Standard, deluxe
Canada
Spain		Digital download		Standard
United States		CD, digital download	Columbia Records	Standard, deluxe
Japan	June 29, 2011		Sony Music Entertainment Japan
Denmark			Sony Music Entertainment
Philippines	July 1, 2011	CD
Thailand	July 6, 2011			Standard
China	October 20, 2011

External links

• Official website