Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ is one of the biggest albums of the year

All 16 tracks off "Renaissance" debut on the Billboard Hot 100, including 'Cuff It' (No. 13), 'Alien Superstar' (No. 19) and 'Church Girl' (No. 22).

Beyoncé is atop the charts again with 'Renaissance.'

Photo: Mason Poole

This is Beyoncé’s world. We're just voguing in it.

"Renaissance," the Houston icon's house-fueled seventh album, debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 332,0000 equivalent album units. It's the year's biggest number by a woman and the second-largest overall. Incredibly, it's also the first album by a woman to top the chart in 2022. All seven of Beyoncé’s solo studio albums have debuted atop the chart.

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Even without physical sales, "Renaissance" would have topped the Billboard 200 based solely on streams. It boasts the largest streaming week for an album by a woman in 2022.

"Break My Soul," the album's lead single, is No. 1 this week on the Billboard Hot 100. It's Beyoncé’s eighth solo chart-topper and tenth overall. She last reached No. 1 alongside Megan Thee Stallion in 2020 with the "Savage Remix." Beyoncé’s last solo No. 1 single was "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" more than a decade ago. Beyoncé also earned four No. 1 singles alongside Destiny's Child.

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All 16 tracks off "Renaissance"debut this week on the Billboard Hot 100, including "Cuff It" (No. 13), "Alien Superstar" (No. 19) and "Church Girl (No. 22).

Over the weekend, Beyoncé dropped "Break My Soul (The Queens Remix)," a mashup with Madonna's "Vogue." That version immediately topped the iTunes chart.

Here's a look at Beyoncé’s solo No. 1 singles to date:

"Crazy in Love," featuring Jay-Z (2003)

"Baby Boy," featuring Sean Paul (2003)

"Check on It," featuring Slim Thug (2006)

"Irreplaceable" (2006)

"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" (2008)

"Perfect Duet (Ed Sheeran & Beyoncé)" (2017)

"Savage Remix" featuring Beyoncé) (2020)

"Break My Soul" (2022)

  • Joey Guerra
    Joey Guerra

    Joey Guerra is the music critic for the Houston Chronicle. He also covers various aspects of pop culture. He has reviewed hundreds of concerts and interviewed hundreds of celebrities, from Justin Bieber to Dolly Parton to Beyonce. He's appeared as a regular correspondent on Fox26 and was head judge and director of the Pride Superstar singing competition for a decade. He has been named journalist of the year multiple times by both OutSmart Magazine and the FACE Awards. He also covers various aspects of pop culture, including the local drag scene and "RuPaul's Drag Race."