I’ve always been a devotee of Beyoncé as a celebrity, force of nature, and all-around iconic goddess, but I’ve never been a huge fan of her music.

I’ve enjoyed her singles over the years (specifically, ‘Crazy in Love,’ ‘If I Were a Boy,’ ‘Irreplaceable,’ Halo,’ and ‘Single Ladies’) but the accompanying albums never grabbed me.

That changed with the singer’s 2013 self-titled release, her first “visual album,” a contemporary R&B release that hit on all cylinders. Whether it was the erotic hip-hop of ‘Drunk in Love,’ the disco-funk of ‘Blow,’ or the ecstatic pop balladry of ‘XO,’ I suddenly understood the hype.

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