Beyoncé’s B’Day has reached No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top R&B Albums chart, marking her sixth No. 1 on the list and tying her for second place in the chart’s history. The album, released in 2006, got a 20th-anniversary deluxe edition on Sept. 4, and that move pushed it to the top of the Sept. 19-dated chart. The chart launched in January 2013, meaning Beyoncé was building her career while the R&B rankings were still being born.
The deluxe edition swells to 31 tracks, more than double the 2006 standard version. It adds collaborations with Pharrell (“Can I Watch You”), Maluma (“Cuerpo [Tumbao]”) and a Spanish-language version of “Irreplaceable” featuring a sample of Selena’s 1992 classic “Como La Flor.” Luminate, the data provider, reports the album earned 38,000 equivalent album units in the United States for the tracking week of Sept. 4-10.
The Numbers Behind the Chart-Topping
Billboard’s chart counts are based on a mix of sales and streams. For B’Day‘s debut at No. 1, streaming activity contributed 22,000 units, equal to 22.5 million official on-demand streams of the album’s songs. Traditional album sales provided 16,000 units, with a negligible number of track-equivalent units. One unit equals one album sale, 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 1,000 paid/subscription-tier or 2,500 ad-supported-tier streams for a song on the album.
The breakdown shows a chart position built on both formats. Streaming has carried the bulk of recent album consumption, but physical sales still count, and B’Day moved enough of both to land at the top.
Beyoncé’s Long History on the Chart
B’Day is Beyoncé’s sixth No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums chart. She first hit the list in 2013, when her self-titled album topped it for 11 weeks starting Dec. 28. That album also marked the chart’s arrival, launching after Beyoncé had already established herself as a star.
Since then, she has added five more No. 1s:
- Beyoncé: More Only (EP), one week, Dec. 13, 2014
- Lemonade, 19 weeks, May 14, 2016
- The Lion King: The Gift, two weeks, Aug. 3, 2019
- Renaissance, nine weeks, Aug. 13, 2022
- B’Day, one week (to date), Sept. 19, 2026
She is now in second place for the most No. 1s in the list’s history, tied with The Weeknd, who holds the record with eight. Beyoncé’s solo albums predate the chart’s existence, and two of them eventually found their way onto it. Her 2011 set 4 premiered at No. 18 on the first chart, dated Jan. 26, 2013, and climbed to a No. 6 peak. Her 2008 album I Am…Sasha Fierce reached a No. 17 best in 2017.
The Deluxe Edition’s Tracklist
The deluxe edition expands the album from its original 14 tracks to 31. The additions include the Pharrell collaboration “Can I Watch You,” the Maluma track “Cuerpo [Tumbao],” and the Spanish-language version of “Irreplaceable” featuring the Selena sample.
The expansion is part of a pattern. Beyoncé has revisited her catalog repeatedly, releasing deluxe editions and anniversary packages that add new material to older records. B’Day is the latest example.
The Album’s Return to Other Charts
B’Day is not just a Top R&B Albums story. It returned to other rankings too. On the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, it lands at No. 2. On the all-genre Billboard 200, it sits at No. 8. The album debuted at No. 1 on both rankings in 2006, so the new positions reflect a different era of consumption rather than a drop in popularity.
The chart positions show the album’s enduring reach across genres. A No. 8 spot on the Billboard 200 is notable for a 20-year-old release, and the No. 2 position on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart puts it near the top of a field that includes contemporary releases.
“Morning Dew (Donk)” Tops Another Chart
The deluxe edition’s lead single, “Morning Dew (Donk),” also scored a No. 1. The track jumps 7-1 to rule the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, becoming Beyoncé’s 14th career leader there. With the result, Beyoncé extends her status as the woman with the most No. 1s, now three ahead of Cardi B, on the chart, which began in September 1993. Drake remains the overall leader, with 42 chart-toppers.
“Morning Dew” also won a second term atop Adult R&B Airplay. Last week, it secured Beyoncé’s fourth No. 1 at that format.
The airplay success follows the album’s chart performance. A No. 1 single from a 20-year-old album is rare, and the jump to the top of the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart shows the song’s current momentum alongside the album’s historical significance.
The Legacy of B’Day
B’Day arrived in 2006 as Beyoncé’s third studio album. The deluxe edition reframes the album for a new generation of listeners.
The chart success is a reminder of how far Beyoncé has come since the early days of her career. She was building her career when the first R&B charts appeared, and now she is one of the most decorated artists on them. Her six No. 1s tie her with The Weeknd for second place, and her catalog continues to find new audiences through deluxe editions and anniversary releases.
The Top R&B Albums No. 1 is a milestone for Beyoncé’s catalog. It is her sixth No. 1 on a chart that launched after her career was already underway, and it ties her with The Weeknd for second place in the chart’s history. The fact that a 20-year-old album can still reach the top of a chart built on current consumption says something about the durability of her music.
The legacy of B’Day is secure. The album arrived in 2006 as Beyoncé’s third studio record, and it established her as a major force in the genre. The deluxe edition has given it a new lease on life, and the chart success shows that the original album still has relevance today.
Beyoncé’s Place Among the Chart’s Best
Beyoncé’s six No. 1s on the Top R&B Albums chart put her in second place in the chart’s history, tied with The Weeknd. Drake leads the chart with 42 No. 1s, and Cardi B trails behind Beyoncé with 11.
The chart has been around since January 2013, and Beyoncé has been a constant presence on it since 2013, when her self-titled album topped it for 11 weeks starting Dec. 28. That same album marked the chart’s arrival, launching after Beyoncé had already established herself as a star.
Her solo albums predate the chart’s existence, and two of them eventually found their way onto it. Her 2011 set 4 premiered at No. 18 on the first chart, dated Jan. 26, 2013, and climbed to a No. 6 peak. Her 2008 album I Am…Sasha Fierce reached a No. 17 best in 2017.
Key Facts Box
– Album: B’Day (2006)
– Deluxe edition released: Sept. 4, 2026
– Top R&B Albums No. 1: Sept. 19, 2026
– Units earned: 38,000 (22,000 from streaming, 16,000 from sales)
– Previous No. 1s: Six
– Weeknd No. 1s: Eight
– Beyoncé’s No. 1s on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay: 14
– Drake’s No. 1s on the chart: 42
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