Which innovative album release strategy, first used by Beyoncé in 2013, dramatically changed music retail by bypassing traditional promotion cycles?

The music retail landscape has undergone dramatic transformations over the past decades. From vinyl shops to digital streaming, the industry has constantly reinvented how music reaches consumers. This trivia question focuses on a pivotal retail strategy that changed how artists launched their albums in the 2010s, creating new promotional opportunities and consumer excitement while challenging traditional retail distribution models.

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The surprise 'drop' release (releasing an album with no prior announcement)
The visual album (releasing music videos for every track simultaneously)
The exclusive streaming platform release (limited to one service for first 2 weeks)
The direct-to-consumer model (selling only through artist's own website)