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Beyoncé has reportedly started her new album from scratch after rejecting more than 50 songs for the proposed fifth LP. Although Columbia Records hoped to release the 4 follow-up "by spring", execs are now apparently doubtful that any new music will be out before the end of the year.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Beyoncé decided to "scrap [everything] and start over", binning tracks that were composed for her by top songwriters such as The-Dream, Ryan Tedder, Sia and Diane Warren. She is "still trying to figure out" a direction for the record, Ne-Yo said in June, while she travels the world with her Mrs Carter tour.

This report follows Diplo's remark earlier this month, that one of his songs had been dropped from the LP. The Major Lazer producer had previously worked on Beyoncé's Run the World (Girls) single, and allegedly brought the singer and Sleigh Bells together in the studio.

Sources tell the Reporter that Columbia hoped to have Beyoncé's album finished before her eight-month tour begins, allowing the massive concerts to help promote her new music. So far, the singer has only performed two 2013 tunes at her gigs – Standing on the Sun, once, in Antwerp, and Grown Woman, a song that was introduced in ads for Pepsi and H&M. Other fresh material, such as the bizarre internet-only Bow Down/I Been On, is in a stockpile of what Jay-Z described as "100,000 amazing songs".

Apparently label executives are not only worried about the release date, they're also worried about Beyoncé's pulling power. While she remains a major force in live shows, she hasn't had a bona fide hit in four years. The 31-year-old's last album sold 1.4m copies in the US – her lowest-ever sales. In the UK, it ranked 18th in annual sales, below releases by CeeLo Green and Ed Sheeran.

Responding to yesterday's report, a rep for Beyoncé said the singer has been working on new music, but "there was never a [scheduled] album release date".