Hitting No. 1 on the Hot 100 is an accomplishment most artists can only dream of, as the top spot is reserved for only the biggest and the most successful musicians. Reaching the peak once is a triumph, but doing so more than once is extremely rare. Only a handful of artists have ever managed to rack up a chart-topper count that numbers in the double digits, and as of this week, that club has a new member.
Beyoncé is back at No. 1 on the all-genre tally with her new single “Perfect Duet,” which sees her jumping on Ed Sheeran’s latest. The track, which is the fourth proper cut spun off his ÷ (Divide) album, was already rising on the U.S. chart with just the British singer-songwriter’s name attached, but once Queen Bey signed on as well, their fate was sealed, and nothing could stop the powerful duo from climbing the two rungs to the throne.
“Perfect Duet” is Bey’s 10th No. 1 hit in the U.S., including her own solo work, songs she released as a member of Destiny’s Child and, of course, this latest success story, which is her first leader as a featured artist. 10 chart-toppers ties the “Formation” star with Janet Jackson and Stevie Wonder, who both also have 10 to their credit.
It has taken Beyoncé almost 20 years to collect 10 chart-owning singles, as she first reached the summit with Destiny’s Child’s hit "Bills, Bills, Bills" back in 1998. It’s been almost a decade since her last, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," though she has come very close a few times since in the past few years, including with her own tune “Drunk In Love” (which stalled at No. 2) and again earlier this year as a featured guest on J Balvin and Willy Williams’ “Mi Gente” (which peaked at No. 3).
Bey is nowhere near done producing smash hits and sending tracks to the upper reaches of the Hot 100, and it's highly likely that within the next few years, she'll collect at least another No. 1 hit, and there's no telling how many more might be in her future.
Here are all 10 of Beyoncé’s No. 1 singles (in chronological order).
Destiny’s Child - "Bills, Bills, Bills" (1998)
Destiny’s Child - "Say My Name" (2000)
Destiny’s Child - "Independent Women Part I" (2000)
Destiny’s Child - "Bootylicious" (2001)
Beyoncé - "Crazy in Love (ft. Jay-Z)" (2003)
Beyoncé - “Baby Boy (ft. Sean Paul)” (2003)
Beyoncé - "Check on It (ft. Slim Thug)" (2005)
Beyoncé - "Irreplaceable" (2006)
Beyoncé - "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" (2008)
Ed Sheeran & Beyoncé - “Perfect Duet” (2017)
