Main Page

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Welcome to Wikipedia,
5,429,570 articles in English

From today's featured article

Beyoncé in July 2011
Beyoncé

4 is the fourth studio album by American singer Beyoncé (pictured), released on June 24, 2011, by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. In collaborations with songwriters and producers The-Dream, Tricky Stewart, and Shea Taylor, Beyoncé aimed for a mellower rhythm and blues tone with influences from funk, hip hop, and soul. She severed professional ties with Mathew Knowles, her father and manager, to help her develop an intimate, personal album. The lyrics emphasize monogamy, female empowerment and self-reflection. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, and some put it on their year-end lists. It was her fourth consecutive album to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200, and it also reached number one in Brazil, France, Ireland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It spawned the international singles "Run the World (Girls)", "Best Thing I Never Had", "Party", "Love On Top" and "Countdown". "Love On Top" won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 55th annual ceremony. The album has sold more than 1.5 million copies in the United States. (Full article...)

Did you know...

Ye Olde Hob Inn, Bamber Bridge
Ye Olde Hob Inn

In the news

On this day...

June 24: Armed Forces Day in the United Kingdom (2017)

Manila Cathedral
Manila Cathedral

Edward de Vere (d. 1604) · Jean-Jacques Burlamaqui (b. 1694) · Carolyn S. Shoemaker (b. 1929)

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

John the Baptist

St. John the Baptist is an oil painting on walnut wood by Leonardo da Vinci. It depicts the Biblical John the Baptist in isolation, using chiaroscuro so the figure appears to emerge from the shadowy background. Probably completed from 1513 to 1516, this High Renaissance work is believed to be the artist's final painting. It is now exhibited at the Louvre in Paris, France.

Painting: Leonardo da Vinci

Other areas of Wikipedia

  • Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
  • Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
  • Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
  • Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
  • Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.

Wikipedia's sister projects

Wikipedia is hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other projects: