Beyonce’s long-awaited seventh studio album titled Renaissance was released at midnight on Friday, much to the joy of her fans.
The superstar, 40, took to her Instagram to celebrate the release with a risqué topless disco-inspired snap of her in a revealing metallic silver dress as she cupped her cleavage with one hand while sitting underneath a disco ball.
In a second slide the hitmaker thanked her fans for banding together and waiting to hear the new body of work on its official release date, after it was leaked two days prior.
New tunes: Beyonce’s long-awaited seventh studio album titled Renaissance was released at midnight on Friday, and the singer took to Instagram to celebrate with a disco-inspired snap
‘I can’t thank y’all enough for your love and protection. I appreciate you for calling out anyone that was trying to sneak into the club early,’ she shared in the note.
‘So, the album leaked, and you all actually waited until the proper release time so you all can enjoy it together. I’ve never seen anything like it,’ she wrote, adding that it ‘means the world’ to her that her fans waited.
‘Thank you for your unwavering support,’ she continued, adding, ‘Thank you for being patient.’
‘We are going to take our time and enjoy the music. I will continue to give my all and do my best to bring you joy.’
Grateful: In a second slide she thanked her fans for banding together and waiting to hear the new body of work on its official release date, after it was leaked two days prior: ‘I appreciate you for calling out anyone that was trying to sneak into the club early’
She wrapped up her note lovingly telling her fans ‘I love you deep.’
The dance-heavy album features 16 tracks, including the previously released single Break My Soul, which dropped last month.
The other 15 other tracks are: I’m That Girl, Cozy, Alien Superstar, Cuff It, Energy, Church Girl, Plastic Off the Sofa, Virgo’s Groove, Move, Heated, Thique, All Up in Your Mind, America Has a Problem, Pure/Honey and Summer Renaissance.
Country gal: Queen B also shared a new promotional clip to her social media, which saw her standing in a dimly-lit room wearing a cowboy hat, leather jacket with a fringe, and high heels
Renaissance: What the critics have said
The Times’ Will Hodgkinson
‘Most of all, the impression Renaissance gives is that Beyoncé, whose singing is as dynamic as it has ever been, has replaced overthinking with disco grooving. It doesn’t seem like a bad way of dealing with the age of anxiety.’
Rating: 
The Telegraph’s James Hall
‘This is a vast superclub of an album. But for all its inventiveness, its flavours exist within fairly narrow parameters. Still, these songs will be blasted out of cars, at house parties, in hotel rooms and on dance floors for years to come.’
Rating:
Page Six’s Nicholas Hautman
‘One could argue that Renaissance does not feel like a career milestone in the way that Beyoncé and Lemonade did — after all, their surprise releases and visual components only heightened the magic — but it is a welcome and even refreshing progression for a superstar who consistently rewrites the rulebooks.’
The Guardian’s Tara Joshi
Rating:
‘It’s a celebration of living abundantly and outside the realms of others’ expectations, and acts as a reminder of how rare it is to witness this hyper-disciplined artist simply having fun on her own terms. Her sense of freedom throughout is palpable, and an infectious spur to action.’
The i’s Kate Solomon
Rating:
‘It’s not perfect: we might wonder at the hefty 62-minute length and at the scrappiness of the sequencing that departs from her more polished, concept-driven albums. But these do not detract from this dazzling tribute to underground and underappreciated black cultures, this endless party with its effusive reminder that you are allowed to enjoy yourself.’
Best Fit’s David Cobbald
Renaissance is one of Beyoncé’s best albums to date: it doesn’t walk in the footsteps of its predecessors but instead makes its own path, going to places we didn’t think Beyoncé would go.. The six years since her last effort have well and truly been worth the wait.
The excitement over the album has already produced a fan-favorite, with many praising the song Virgo’s Groove as the best track on the album.
The song also happens to be the longest one – lasting over six minutes – and fans have commented on Beyonce’s impressive vocal runs throughout as well as the saucy lyrics, with Twitter user @LordeCali writing, ‘The runs and riffs on Virgo’s Groove are some of the most beautiful, intricate and unique ones I’ve ever heard. As someone who thinks she is one of the best vocalists ever, she manages to keep surprising me. Questioning or challenging her vocal ability is simply unserious.’
Renaissance marks the star’s first solo album in six years, since the 2016 release of Lemonade.
Ready for her close-up: In another close-up shot from the clip she was seen looking ahead
Mysterious: ‘RENAISSANCE…’ she simply captioned the 17 second clip
Queen B also shared a new promotional clip to her social media, which saw her standing in a dimly-lit room wearing a cowboy hat, leather jacket with a fringe, and high heels.
‘RENAISSANCE…’ she simply captioned the 17 second clip.
Meanwhile Beyonce’s celebrity fans were thrilled with the drop, taking to social media to express their excitement over the new album.
Actress Halle Berry shared a dancing gif with the caption: ‘I feel like falling in love…’
Excited: Meanwhile Beyonce’s celebrity fans were thrilled with the drop, taking to social media to express their excitement over the new album, with Halle Berry sharing a dancing gif
Lizzo approved: Singer Lizzo shared a snap showing that she was listening to Bey’s new music
Houston superstars: Fellow Houston native rapper Megan Thee Stallion shouted out Beyonce on her Instagram story, as she posted six crown emojis
Proud mom: Beyonce’s mom, Tina Knowles, proudly announced the album’s release, writing: ‘It’s here #1 in 50 countries !!! Over here celebrating !!! YOU WONT BREAK MY SOUL !!!!!! Update 62 countries 1:05 am’
Dancing with joy: She also shared a clip of her celebrating as she danced in front of ballons that spelled out the album’s name
Time to process: Reality Tv star Chrishell Stause needed time to process the new sounds, jokingly telling her followers ‘please respect my privacy at this time’
Happy: ‘Beyonce really just… made me so happy,’ Justine Skye Tweeted in appreciation of the new sounds
Love: Meanwhile singer Charlie Puth wrote, ‘Beyonce paid tribute to Memphis royalty princess loko at the top of her album. Love love love’
A good time: Angel Lenise appreciated the vibes of the album, praising Beyonce in a Tweet: ‘She’s having fun. She’s talking s***. My favorite, favorite Bey’
Finally here: ‘Missed u @beyonce’ singer and actor Josh Levi wrote
Listening experience: Meanwhile Simon Curtis shared that he would be listening to the album for the first time while taking a drive down Mulholland
Thrilled: ‘Beyonce really made a FULL BODY of work with #Renaissance,’ Hailey Kilgore shared, adding, ‘Are we surprised? Absolutely not. But does she come back to remind us every time? ABSOLUTELY’
His favorite: Kevin McHale shared that ‘Plastic Off The Sofa’ was his favorite tune off the record
Singer Lizzo also took to Instagram to show that she was listening to Bey’s new music.
Fellow Houston native rapper Megan Thee Stallion shouted out Beyonce on her Instagram story, as she posted six crown emojis.
Beyonce’s mom, Tina Knowles, proudly announced the album’s release, writing: ‘It’s here #1 in 50 countries !!! Over here celebrating !!! YOU WONT BREAK MY SOUL !!!!!! Update 62 countries 1:05 am.’
Sweet: Earlier in the day the singer gave fans a rare look at all three of the children she shares with longtime husband Jay-Z, as she thanked her family for giving her the ‘space, creativity and inspiration’ she needed to create her latest work
Touching: She also made a touching tribute to her late gay uncle Jonny, calling him her ‘godmother’ and ‘the first person to expose me to a lot of the music and culture that serve as inspiration for this album’
She also shared a clip of her celebrating as she danced in front of ballons that spelled out the album’s name.
‘Beyonce really just… made me so happy,’ Justine Skye Tweeted in appreciation of the new sounds.
Meanwhile singer Charlie Puth wrote, ‘Beyonce paid tribute to Memphis royalty princess loko at the top of her album. Love love love.’
Reality TV star Chrishell Stause needed time to process the new sounds, jokingly telling her followers ‘please respect my privacy at this time.’
Angel Lenise appreciated the vibes of the album, praising Beyonce in a Tweet: ‘She’s having fun. She’s talking s***. My favorite, favorite Bey.’
‘Missed u @beyonce’ singer and actor Josh Levi wrote. Meanwhile Simon Curtis shared that he would be listening to the album for the first time while taking a drive down Mulholland.
‘Beyonce really made a FULL BODY of work with #Renaissance,’ Hailey Kilgore shared, adding, ‘Are we surprised? Absolutely not. But does she come back to remind us every time? ABSOLUTELY.’
Meanwhile Kevin McHale shared that ‘Plastic Off The Sofa’ was his favorite tune off the record.
Earlier in the day the singer gave fans a rare look at all three of the children she shares with longtime husband Jay-Z, as she thanked her family for giving her the ‘space, creativity and inspiration’ she needed to create her latest work.
In a post published to her official website, Beyonce included a sweet snap of daughter Blue Ivy, 10, and five-year-old twins Rumi and Sir sleeping beside her in bed.
She also made a touching tribute to her late gay uncle Jonny, calling him her ‘godmother’ and ‘the first person to expose me to a lot of the music and culture that serve as inspiration for this album.’
Tough: The album release hasn’t been without drama, as it leaked online two days ahead of its official release date, after being sold to fans in various European countries
Hot to trot: However, Beyonce has gone ahead with the rollout, and released new artwork for the album on Thursday, showing her in various poses as she rode atop a holographic stallion
.