Though it was technically a surprise drop, Jay Z and Beyoncé’s joint album Everything Is Love was a long time coming. It’s no secret fans have spent the last several years holding their collective breath for the collaborative project, enduring countless rumors, teasers, and the occasional letdown. But just when many of us started losing hope, the Carters came through and abruptly dropped the long-awaited project exclusively on Tidal, reminding their battalion of stans that “all good things come to those who wait.” And god knows we’ve waited long enough.
In celebration of the big day, we’ve chronicled the journey to Jay and Bey’s joint album, starting from the initial rumors nearly half a decade ago to his release this weekend.
Though it was technically a surprise drop, Jay Z and Beyoncé’s joint album Everything Is Love was a long time coming. It’s no secret fans have spent the last several years holding their collective breath for the collaborative project, enduring countless rumors, teasers, and the occasional letdown. But just when many of us started losing hope, the Carters came through and abruptly dropped the long-awaited project exclusively on Tidal, reminding their battalion of stans that “all good things come to those who wait.” And god knows we’ve waited long enough.
In celebration of the big day, we’ve chronicled the journey to Jay and Bey’s joint album, starting from the initial rumors nearly half a decade ago to his release this weekend.
September 2014: The First Reports
In the summer of 2014, Dash Radio host DJ Skee announced several sources had confirmed that Jay and Bey were working on a collaborative project, which was expected to drop in either late 2014 or early 2015. The news arrived shortly after the couple wrapped up their On the Run Tour in Paris.
February 2015: Detail Fuels Rumors
During an interview with Billboard in early 2015, producer Noel Fisher, aka Detail, revealed he was working with the power couple on a mysterious project. Though he wouldn’t confirm a joint album, he also didn’t deny it: “When you think of Jay and Bey together, you think ‘album.’ You should already know,” said Detail, who won a Grammy for his work on “Drunk in Love.”
When asked if the rumored project would drop before the end of 2015, he replied: “In my imaginary mind, I will work to say it’s true.”
May 2016: Sources Claim the Album Is Finished
About a month after Bey released her surprise album Lemonade, sources told Page Six that Queen Bey had another project on deck—a project in which she and Jay would address their marital issues as well as the rumors of infidelity.
One insider said: “Jay and Beyoncé were never going to do an interview to address all the questions that came up after Lemonade. It’s more their style to respond through music.”
At the time, the source claimed the album was completed and was set to drop “very soon” on Tidal.
November 2017: Jay Z Confirms the Joint Album Exists
Following the release of 4:44, Jay confirmed to T Magazine that his rumored project with Bey existed. He said they began working on music together as a way to mend their relationship, and that there was a lot of material sitting in the vault; however, he didn't confirm whether or not the music would ever see the light of day.
"We were using our art almost like a therapy session. And we started making music together," he explained. "And then the music she was making at that time was further along. So her album came out as opposed to the joint album that we were working on. Um, we still have a lot of that music."
January 2018: Post-Grammy Album Drop?
Anticipation for the Carters’ collaborative album surged in the weeks leading up to the 2018 Grammys. As pointed out a January installment of Complex’s Conspiracy Corner, there were many clues that suggested the release was imminent: a big-name producer spotted at the couple’s home; Instagram posts that announced Roc Nation was “hard at work”; the precedent of releasing projects on Grammy Sunday; as well as the fact that Jay’s hair was longer than normal. The latter clue seems odd, but fans know the rapper tends to let his hair grow out during his creative process.
March 2018: The Couple Announces On the Run II Tour
Several months ago, Jay and Bey announced the follow-up to their 2014 On the Run Tour. News of the worldwide event immediately led fans to believe the couple had something new in store, as Beyoncé’s Formation Tour wrapped up in 2016, and Jay’s 4:44 Tour concluded at the end of 2017. The four-month On the Run II trek surely had to support some kind of project, right?
June 2018: Love Is Everything Arrives
And now, the wait is finally over. On Saturday afternoon, Jay and Beyoncé released Love Is Everything, their nine-track album that seemingly arrived out of nowhere. There were no singles, no promotional cover art reveals, no major social media teasers—nothing; however, the secrecy surrounding the project was one of the many reasons it was so special.
Though it was a long road, we're glad that the Carters were able to complete their album trilogy with a project as incredible as this one.