Amazon Won’t Stock Beyonce’s New Album

Amazon has become the second major retailer not to stock physical copies of Beyonce’s self-titled fifth album.

The company will still sell digital copies of the album, and physical copies of Beyonce will be available on Amazon via third-party sellers.

According to Billboard, the only way that Beyonce’s new album is even visible on Amazon is if shoppers search for it. Billboard also said that while most merchants are stocking the album, they aren’t happy with the preferential treatment given to Apple; Beyonce released the 14-track surprise album on iTunes, complete with 17 accompanying music videos. Sony Music Entertainment also reportedly prevented Amazon and other retailers from pre-selling the album.

Amazon’s decision not to sell the album follows a similar move by Target, which had an exclusive deal with Beyonce when she released her 2011 album, 4.

“At Target we focus on offering our guests a wide assortment of physical CDs, and when a new album is available digitally before it is available physically, it impacts demand and sales projections,” representative Erica Julkowski said.

“While there are many aspects that contribute to our approach and we have appreciated partnering with Beyonce in the past, we are primarily focused on offering CDs that will be available in a physical format at the same time as all other formats. At this time, Target will not be carrying Beyonce’s new self-titled album ‘Beyonce.'”

Beyonce sold over 800,000 digital copies worldwide in its first three days, and debuted at number on the Billboard 200. The album also topped the US Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.

Beyonce said that she was worried about all the things that could go wrong with the album.

“I was terrified. I was so scared. I already envisioned like the worst things that could happen,” the 32-year-old said at a screening of the album’s music videos Saturday. “I was really nervous because this was a huge risk.”

She also said that she felt “liberated” by motherhood and “wanted to follow in the footsteps of Madonna” by having her own empire.

[Photo credit: JStone / Shutterstock.com]