Taking everyone by surprise -- and by storm -- the Queen, Beyoncé, has released a self-titled record exclusively on iTunes, and she did it without any warning or advance notice or publicity.

People Magazine is reporting that the album -- which almost instantly become a worldwide trending topic on Twitter -- has 14 songs and 17 videos, and it's exclusively available on iTunes. Special guests on the album include rapper-husband Jay-Z, Drake, and Frank Ocean. In addition, copying a trend first started by her husband, the closing track "Blue" features a guest appearance by Beyoncé's daughter, Blue Ivy Carter.

"I see music," Beyoncé said in a video announcement on her Facebook page. "It's more than just what I hear. When I'm connected to something, I immediately see a visual or a series of images that are tied to a feeling or an emotion, a memory from my childhood, thoughts about life, my dreams or my fantasies. And they're all connected to the music."

In addition, Beyoncé said that her inspiration for the new album came from Michael Jackson's Thriller album. "I miss that immersive experience," she says. "Now people only listen to a few seconds of song on the iPods and they don't really invest in the whole experience. It's all about the single, and the hype. It's so much that gets between the music and the art and the fans. I felt like, I don't want anybody to get 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."

Spin Magazine is reporting that the songwriting lineup is equally impressive: Hit-Boy, Sia Furler, Chairlift's Caroline Polachek, Noah "40" Shebib, Ryan Tedder, and someone named Boots. Video directors include Hype Williams, Terry Richardson, Jake Nava, Jonas Åkerlund, @lilinternet, Francesco Carrozzini, and Todd Tourso. Harvey Keitel makes an appearance in the "Pretty Hurts" clip, a vivid depiction of the stress and degradations -- self-inflicted and otherwise -- suffered by models and beauty queens. The video concludes with home footage of a pre-teen Beyoncé accepting a singing award after a presenter mispronounces her name.

Check out a 30 second preview of "Flawless" featuring Chimamanda Ngozi below.