We all know that iTunes has a lot of power in the music world, and it’s had its share of exclusives over the years, but the newest release is bit different for Apple and Beyoncé. Nobody knew about the release beforehand.

For iTunes, this isn’t just an exclusive for digital downloads, this is a total exclusive. Manufacturing of the CD/DVD will begin today¹, after the album has already been released on iTunes. I don’t believe something like that has ever been done before with an artist as popular as Beyoncé.

“I didn’t want to release my music the way I’ve done it,” said Beyoncé. “I am bored with that. I feel like I am able to speak directly to my fans. There’s so much that gets between the music, the artist and the fans. I felt like I didn’t want anybody to give 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.”

This is a big deal in the music world. For Beyoncé to release an album with no leaks to the public is almost unheard-of in modern times. With the successful release, Beyoncé got what she wanted, and Apple gained a lot of trust from the world’s elite artists.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see a lot of other artists take this route in the future.