Beyonce's Official Top 40 biggest songs in the UK revealed

HB, Queen B!
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Beyoncé is, and always will be, the definition of a superstar.

Seemingly manifesting greatness from the moment she first stepped out as a member of Destiny's Child, Beyoncé's dedication to her craft has seen her live many different creative lives, emerging out of the last decade as one of the most vindicated and celebrated performers of her generation.

Her music backs up; across six (soon to be seven) solo studio albums, one curated soundtrack and a collaboration with husband Jay Z, Beyoncé has explored every facet of modern-pop music possible; from irresistible soul-fused R&B (Countdown), wistful synth-pop (XO) and politically-charged hip-hop anthems (Formation).

Across her career, Beyoncé has achieved 39 Top 40 singles including five UK Number 1s; Crazy In Love and Deja Vu, both with Jay Z, Beautiful Liar with Shakira, If I Were A Boy, and Telephone with Lady Gaga. 

 

MORE: See where all of Beyoncé's singles and albums have charted in the UK

Before we reveal the Top 40 in full, however, here's a closer look at the Top 5:

5. Irreplaceable

Released: 2006
Official Singles Chart peak: Number 4
Official UK chart sales: 1.5 million
Combined UK streams: 115 million

To the left, to the left! The biggest hit from Beyoncé's sophomore record B'Day, Irreplaceable was co-written by Ne-Yo and has since served as a handy starting point for anyone ever wanting to move their ex's stuff out of their house. It's Bey's fourth most-streamed song in the UK overall - with plays of 115 million.

4. Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)

Released: 2008
Official Singles Chart peak: Number 7
Official UK chart sales: 1.5 million
Combined UK streams: 90 million

2008 was a big year for Beyoncé, who launched her ambitious third album I Am...Sasha Fierce with two double-A side singles, to reflect the duality of its parent album (split between Bey and her fiery alter-ego Sasha). Single Ladies' success is hinged on its unbelievably simple premise, and several easy to follow dance routines (you've done the hand wiggle in the club before, don't lie). What isn't talked about enough, though, is that Beyoncé's most commerically accessible single is also, sonically, her weirdest, full of squelches, beats and bounce rhythms that should have no place sounding as in-sync as they do. 

3. If I Were A Boy

Released: 2008
Official Singles Chart peak: Number 1
Official UK chart sales: 1.7 million
Combined UK streams: 97 million

The demure mirror reflection of Single Ladies who is definitely not in the club, all dressed up, If I Were A Boy sees Beyoncé firmly in mid-tempo ballad mode. Her fourth UK Number 1 single, If I Were A Boy is the only chart-topper from Bey with a solo credit. It has 1.7 million combined chart sales to its name, as well as 97 million streams. It's also Beyoncé's biggest-seller on digital downloads (816,000).

2. Crazy In Love (ft. Jay Z)

Released: 2003
Official Singles Chart peak: Number 1
Official UK chart sales: 2.2 million
Combined UK streams: 183 million

Now this is how you kickstart a solo career (for those of you screaming that Work It Out is technically Beyoncé's actual debut single...not now). Channeling boundless energy and a spring in her step, Beyoncé made it clear from the off - she was a superstar pop artist, and deserved to be treated as such. Hooking up with future husband Jay Z, Crazy In Love set a frantic template that many other artists try, and fail, to emulate today.

Crazy In Love is Beyoncé's second-biggest single in the UK; with over 2.2 million chart sales to its name - including 267,000 physical copies - and a mammoth 183 million streams. Now, everyone: uh-oh-uh-oh....

1. Halo

Released: 2008
Official Singles Chart peak: Number 4
Official UK chart sales: 2.4 million
Combined UK streams: 192 million

If you've ever been lucky enough to attend a Beyoncé concert, you'll know Bey loves to end on this emotional semi-ballad co-written by Ryan Tedder, the emotional centrepiece of I Am....Sasha Fierce (until she switched it up fantastically on the Renaissance Tour, where Halo was conspicuously absent).

So it's no surprise that the roadblock that is Halo is officially Beyoncé's official biggest song in the UK. It trumps its nearest competition, with over 2.4 million chart sales to its name, and the most streams of any Beyoncé track - an amazing 192 million. The only surprising fact? It never got to Number 1, having to settle instead for Number 4.

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I Am A Stegosaurus

1

"Her other love-themed Jay Z duet Drunk In Love"

Those two songs do NOT define a duet.

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I Am A Stegosaurus

1

Wait, so Runnin' is 8 ALREADY? And Hymn For The Weekend would be 10? And no million-sellers? Jesus she is overrated AF.

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I Am A Stegosaurus

0

And they're ALL terrible...

Oh, I missed Running.