Maps of Music

Lemonade (2016)

Where the lyrics of Lemonade take you, and where it was really made.

Recorded across 11 studios over about a year, this album about marital betrayal and healing became the world's best-selling album of 2016.

Key places

Where the recording process began (2016)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — The album's recording process began at the Record Plant in Los Angeles, which the team used for a month. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording stint in Paris (2016)

Recording site Paris — After a break, the team went to Paris for 45 days to continue working on the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Los Angeles studio used for recording (2016)

Recording site Conway Recording Studios — Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles is listed among the studios where the album was recorded. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Los Angeles studio used for recording (2016)

Recording site A&M Recording Studios — Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles is listed among the studios where the album was recorded. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

New York studio used for recording (2016)

Recording site Jungle City Studios — Jungle City Studios in New York City is listed among the studios where the album was recorded. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Lemonade: sixth studio album by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé
• Surprise-released on 23 April 2016 by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records
• Released as a visual album together with a film of the same name
• Concept album on the historical Black female experience in the United States
• Told as a personal journey through marital betrayal and healing
• Structured as a song cycle based on the Kübler-Ross model
• Explores R&B, rock, country, soul, blues, hip-hop, jazz, reggae, pop, gospel and funk
• Guest vocals from Jack White, the Weeknd, James Blake and Kendrick Lamar

Background

• Beyoncé's fifth studio album Beyoncé (2013) marked a shift in her public image
• Its surprise release and visual format influenced how music was released in the digital age
• In 2014 her personal life became a subject of public scrutiny over rumours of Jay-Z's infidelity
• The album came out of this period of personal turmoil

Recording

• Recorded between June 2014 and July 2015 across 11 studios in the United States
• Beyoncé gave each song a specific emotion, and each emotion formed a chapter of the album and film
• Mood boards representing each chapter were posted around the studio to guide collaborators
• The process began at the Record Plant in Los Angeles, which the team used for a month
• The team then took a break and later went to Paris for 45 days
• Two studios were set up in two hotel rooms, one for Beyoncé and one for Jay-Z
• Beyoncé oversaw all aspects of the writing and production process

Cover

• Cover image comes from the music video shot for "Don't Hurt Yourself"
• Beyoncé wears cornrows and a fur coat, leaning against a Chevrolet Suburban and covering her face with her arm

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups in history.
• Solo debut album Dangerously in Love (2003) became one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century.
• Destiny's Child disbanded in 2005 after the Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It tour.

Career

• Released B'Day (2006), I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), 4 (2011), Beyoncé (2013), Lemonade (2016), Renaissance (2022), and Cowboy Carter (2024).
• Renaissance and Cowboy Carter form a trilogy highlighting the overlooked contributions of Black pioneers to dance music and country music.
• Estimated sales of over 200 million records; the most-certified female artist by the RIAA.
• Holds a record 35 Grammy Awards, 30 MTV Video Music Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
• Headlined Super Bowl XLVII halftime show (2013) and the Coachella festival (2018).
• Acted in films including Dreamgirls (2006), Cadillac Records (2008), and The Lion King (2019).

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Received widespread acclaim on release, with many critics calling it an instant classic, a masterpiece and Beyoncé's magnum opus
• Metacritic gave it a weighted average of 92 from 33 reviews, indicating universal acclaim
• The Observer's Kitty Empire praised it as a dazzling spectacle that united high art and popular music
• Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield described it as a welcome reminder that giants still walk among us
• The Guardian's Alexis Petridis praised the diverse songs being unified through thematic storytelling and emotional progression
• Critics praised Beyoncé's raw vulnerability and bold socio-political messaging
• The Independent's Everett True described her emotional delivery as a boundary-pushing performance

Reappraisal

• Named the greatest album of the 21st century by Rolling Stone in January 2025
• Named the critics' top album of 2016 by the BBC
• Named the best album of the 2010s by Consequence of Sound and The Associated Press
• Placed at number 32 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list

Records

• Debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 653,000 album-equivalent units in its first week
• Certified platinum by the RIAA in June 2016
• Debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with 73,000 copies sold in its first week
• Won Best Urban Contemporary Album and Best Music Video at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards
• Won a Peabody Award in Entertainment
• Received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations
• Certified double platinum in Australia in 2023 for 140,000 equivalent units

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Lemonade was first streamed only on Tidal and reached other streaming platforms on 23 April 2019, exactly three years after release
• Beyoncé set herself the goal of performing the entire album live
• The album inspired artists beyond music, including art, literature, film, television and theatre
• Its visual album format led many later musicians to follow the same approach
• The album was named the best album of the 2010s by several outlets, including The Associated Press

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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