Beyonce is on course to take the Number One slot in the US Billboard chart with her fifth, self-titled LP.

Billboard reports that the album, which is currently only available via iTunes as a 'visual album', sold 80,000 copies Stateside in the three hours after its release. They add that the release looks likely to take the Number One position in the Billboard 200 when the new chart is revealed on December 18. No details of a CD release, or information of its availability through other digital retailers, have been released.

Beyonce released her new, self-titled album online overnight (December 13). The US singer was not expected to release a follow up to her last album, '4', until 2014, but surprised fans by releasing the 'visual album' exclusively on iTunes. The album features 14 tracks and 17 videos, all of which are available immediately in order to prevent leaks. Guests on the album include Jay Z, Drake, Frank Ocean and Beyonce's daughter, Blue Ivy, on the song 'Blue'. Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie appears on the song 'Flawless'. A full tracklisting can be seen below.

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'Beyoncé' is the former Destiny's Child star's fifth album and her first since '4' was released in 2011. Every song on the album has also been given a video. 'Grown Woman', a promotional cut that Beyoncé performed during her Mrs. Carter world tour this year, is not featured on the album tracklisting but has a video, available through iTunes.

In addition to the guest verses, Chairlift singer Caroline Polachek tweeted to reveal that she wrote and produced 'No Angel' on the album. Sia is credited to 'Pretty Lights' while Miguel ('Rocket'), Drake and Noah "40" Shebib ('Mine'), Hit-Boy ('Bey Reel') and Frank Ocean ('Superpower'), Ryan Tedder and The-Dream ('XO') as well as Justin Timberlake, Pharrell and Timbaland ('Blow') all feature on the star-studded album credits.

Speaking about the visual nature of the album, Beyoncé says: "I see music. 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."

The 'Beyoncé' tracklisting is:

'Haunted'
'Pretty Hurts'
'Drunk in Love' (Featuring Jay Z)
'Blow/Cherry'
'Yoncé/Partition'
'Jealous'
'Rocket'
'Mine' (Featuring Drake)
'XO'
'Flawless' (Featuring Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
'Superpower' (Featuring Frank Ocean)
'Heaven'
'Blue' (Featuring Blue Ivy)

'Beyoncé' video list:

'Pretty Hurts' directed by Melina Matsoukas
'Ghost' directed by Pierre Debusschere
'Haunted' directed by Jonas Åkerlund
'Drunk in Love' directed by Hype Williams
'Blow' directed by Hype Williams
'Angel' directed by @Lilinternet
'Yoncé' directed by Ricky Saiz
'Partition' directed by Jake Nava
'Jealous' directed by Beyoncé, Francesco Carrozzini & Todd Tourso
'Rocket' directed by Beyoncé, Ed Burke & Bill Kirstein
'Mine' directed by Pierre Debusschere
'XO' directed by Terry Richardson
'***Flawless' directed by Jake Nava
'Superpower' directed by Jonas Åkerlund
'Heaven' directed by Beyoncé & Todd Tourso
'Blue' directed by Beyoncé, Ed Burke & Bill Kirstein
'Grown Woman' directed by Jake Nava