B’Day

B'Day is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Beyoncé Knowles, released on September 4, 2006 by Columbia Records in collaboration with Music World Music and Sony Urban Music. It was released to coincide with Knowles' twenty-fifth birthday. The album was originally planned for a 2004 release as a follow-up to her debut album Dangerously in Love (2003). However, the project was put on hiatus due to the recording of Destiny's Child's final studio album, Destiny Fulfilled (2004), and her starring role in the film Dreamgirls (2006). While on vacation after filming Dreamgirls, Knowles began contacting various producers; she rented Sony Music Studios, and completed B'Day in three weeks. Most of the lyrical content of the album was inspired by Knowles' role in the film. The album's musical style ranges from 1970s–80s funk influences and balladry to urban contemporary elements such as hip hop and R&B. Live instrumentation was employed in recording most of the tracks as part of Knowles' vision of creating a record using live instruments.
Upon its release, B'Day received generally positive reviews from most music critics and has since earned Knowles several accolades, including the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 2007 Grammy Awards. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 541,000 copies in its first week, the highest debut-week sales of Knowles. The album has been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It was also successful in international music markets and yielded six singles, including three commercial hits: "Déjà Vu", "Irreplaceable" and "Beautiful Liar". B'Day Anthology Video Album, which features thirteen music videos to accompany the songs, was released alongside the deluxe edition of B'Day. Knowles then embarked on her second solo concert tour in 2007, which she titled The Beyoncé Experience. A live album, The Beyoncé Experience Live, was released which featured footage from the tour. As of February 2008, B'Day had sold over 7 million copies worldwide.