Beyonc releases self-titled album

Singer Beyonc Knowles released a self-titled album on iTunes early Friday morning.

At 12 a.m. ET, the albumBeyoncappeared on the iTunes website, surprising fans. Since the artist announced a 2014 world tour, rumours had been speculating Beyonc would release an albumin the coming months.

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Beyonc updated her Instagram account shortly after the album dropped.

"Surprise!" she wrote to accompany a video teaser for the new album, whichhas 14 songs and 17videos.

"I didn't want to release my music the way I've done it," she said in a press release. "I am bored with that. I feel like I am able to speak directly to my fans. There's so much that gets between the music, the artist and the fans. I felt like I didn't want anybody to give the message when my record is coming out. I just want this to come out when it's ready and from me to my fans."

Her husband and fellow musician, Jay-Z, is featured on the album. So is the couple's young daughter, Blue Ivy Carter.

Other collaborations include songs withFrank Ocean and Toronto's Drake.

This is Beyonc's fifth studio album.