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"Beyonc\u00E9's fifth studio album, Beyonc\u00E9, which was released exclusively on iTunes on Friday without any promotional marketing, has sold 828,773 copies in three days. (UPDATE: Sales surpassed 1 million copies Wednesday, Apple confirmed to Mashable.)\nThe unconventional release, featuring 14 songs and an unprecedented 17 videos, sparked an impressive 1.2 million tweets about the album in 24 hours after premiering.  And now, it has become iTunes' fast-selling album. Domestically, the iTunes Store has already sold 617,213 copies, breaking the store's first-week album sales record.  \nSee also: Grammys 2014: Jay Z Leads With 9 Nominations as Rap Dominates\nThe previous record holders were Justin Timberlake's 20/20 Experience, which sold 580,000 worldwide on iTunes (U.S. number aren't available) and Taylor Swift's Red (465,000, U.S.).\nApple also reports that the album topped iTunes album charts in 104 countries (out of 119 countries where iTunes is available). For now, iTunes users can only buy the full album ($15.99) \u2014 not individual songs \u2014 which helped the album reach No. 1 across the world. The album's songs can be purchased separately starting Dec. 20. \nDespite only being sold on iTunes, the sales total for Beyonc\u00E9 is the artist's biggest sales week ever.  Beyonc\u00E9 bypassed traditional distribution methods, including not making the album available on streaming services and not releasing a lead music video on Vevo or YouTube. \nMeanwhile, Columbia Records started producing physical copies for retail stores on the day the album was released on iTunes, meaning it will be in stores in time for the holidays. \nBeyonc\u00E9 managed to keep the album release a secret (read: no online leaks surfaced), in a year when music somehow kept repeatedly leaking before artists' official release dates. The 32-year-old and her legion of well-known directors shot music videos for each song during her world tour in New York City, Paris, Sydney and Rio de Janeiro, among other places. \n\"I didn\u2019t want to release my music the way I\u2019ve done it. I am bored with that,\" Beyonc\u00E9 said. \"I feel like I am able to speak directly to my fans. There\u2019s so much that gets between the music, the artist and the fans. I felt like I didn\u2019t want anybody to give the message when my record is coming out. I just want this to come out when it\u2019s ready and from me to my fans.\"\nThe approach resonated around the globe. On Facebook, mentions of \u201CBeyonc\u00E9\u201D spiked more than 1,300% in the hours after the album dropped, a Facebook spokesperson told Mashable. And the reception on Twitter was just as furious; Twitter detailed how buzz about the album spread in an animated map, released Monday.\n\nHow @Beyonce\u2019s latest album spread around the world in seconds (animated map) #Beyonce http://t.co/f4v9ZCoLbI pic.twitter.com/tVaxWGyKXz\n\u2014 Twitter Music (@TwitterMusic) December 16, 2013\n\nHave something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.\nBONUS: 30-Second Previews of Each Song's Music Video on Beyonc\u00E9's Fifth Album\n\n\n\nBeyonce Music Video Snippets For Fifth Album\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPretty Hurts\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHaunted\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDrunk In Love (feat. Jay Z)\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBlow\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNo Angel\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPartition\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJealous\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRocket\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMine (feat. Drake)\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nXO\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n***Flawless (feat. Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche)\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSuperpower (feat. Frank Ocean)\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHeaven \n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBlue Ivy (feat. Blue Ivy)\n\n\nVideo: YouTube, Beyonce\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYouTube, Beyonce\n      window._msla=window.loadScriptAsync||function(src,id){if(document.getElementById(id))return;var js=document.createElement('script');js.id=id;js.src=src;document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0].parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);};\n_msla(\"//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\",\"twitter_jssdk\");"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2013/12/16/beyonce-album-breaks-itunes-record/>