Music

Beyoncé’s No. 1 Songs From Worst to Best

Some Beyoncé songs are absolutely iconic but others aren't talked about very much anymore. Here's a look at 20 years of No. 1 hits.

by Matthew Trzcinski

Published on March 26, 2023

2 min read

Many of the defining hits of the past 25 years have been Beyoncé songs. She’s reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 a total of eight times as a solo artist. Despite this, some of her No. 1 singles have been much more impressive than others.

8. ‘Check On It’

“Check on It” is a song about sexual teasing. That’s not really a subject matter that flies today, but the tune might be more tolerable if it had a better beat. The production here sounds like nothing, and the guest verses don’t add any extra spice to the track. Regardless, Queen B’s star power brought this to the top of the Billboard Hot 100.

7. ‘Savage’

Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion is a winning combination in theory. In practice, the beat of “Savage” sounds like an unfinished demo, so all the effort both artists bring to the lyrics feels a little wasted. Hopefully, this song will pave the way for a superior collaboration between them in the future.

6. ‘Baby Boy’

“Baby Boy” doesn’t have the power of other Beyoncé love songs like “Halo,” “XO,” or “Sweet Dreams,” but it’s a fun club tune. Sean Paul is far from the best rapper Queen B has worked with, but the sound of his voice is a welcome addition on any pop hit.

5. ‘Irreplaceable’

“Irreplaceable” is probably one of the most famous songs of the 2000s. Its fusion of R&B, pop, and a dash of country music made it inescapable. Even people who barely pay attention to top 40 music know its famous line about the box in the closet.

4. ‘Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)’

Alongside “Irreplaceable,” “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” might be Beyoncé’s defining song. It’s a strange, shouty tune with a beat that doesn’t sound much like a pop or R&B song at all, but it works. There are numerous breakup songs that double as female empowerment songs, and this impressively remains one of the most famous. The iconic black-and-white music video is the icing on the cake.

3. ‘Perfect’

Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé really had no business recording music together. They’re two musicians whose styles are worlds apart. Despite this, they sell “Perfect,” and Beyoncé shows off the angelic side of her voice to great effect.

2. ‘Crazy in Love’

Often, rappers appearing on pop singles feels like a sell-out move. On the other hand, Jay-Z appearing on Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love” feels like a coronation. He’s the king of rap, she’s the queen of R&B, and they are here to prove it with one of the best grooves of the decade. Beyoncé recorded an intense and haunting version of “Crazy in Love” for Fifty Shades of Grey that deserves praise as well.

1. ‘Break My Soul’

With “Break My Soul,” Beyoncé gave Generation Z its equivalent of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” and that’s no small feat. “Break My Soul” is a feminist anthem, a song of release, and a quintessential club song, all in one.