"Formation" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her sixth studio album Lemonade (2016). It was written by Khalif Brown, Jordan Frost, Asheton Hogan, Mike Will Made It and Beyoncé and produced by the latter two alongside Pluss. It served as the album's lead single, released on February 6, 2016 through Parkwood Entertainment.

The song's accompanying music video, directed by Melina Matsoukas premiered on the same day as the song itself through Beyoncé's official YouTube account. It received mixed response for its alleged anti-police stance, which the singer denied, in addition to controversy over documentary footage used in the video. However, some critics praised its depiction of African-Americans not frequently seen in mainstream media. In order to promote the song, Beyoncé performed it during her guest appearance at the Super Bowl 50 halftime show the day after its premiere. Throughout 2016, Beyoncé launched her The Formation World Tour which was named in reference to the song. "Formation" was the most googled song of 2016. "Formation" was nominated for the Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and won in the category Best Music Video, and has been included on several year-end lists.

"Formation" was written by Khalif "Swae Lee" Brown, Jordan Frost, Asheton Hogan, Mike Will Made It and Beyoncé while its production was handled by the latter two alongside Pluss as a co-producer.

"Formation" was released on February 6, 2016, accompanied by its official music video. It was released in a similar manner to Beyoncé's 2013 self-titled studio album without any previous announcements, leading its release to be dubbed as a "surprise release" by media outlets. The song was made available for free download exclusively via the subscription-based music streaming service Tidal. The release of the song was also followed by new merchandise through the singer's website with items and clothings citing lyrics from the song.

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