Best Thing I Never Had
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"Best Thing I Never Had" is a song by American singer
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...
from her fourth studio album, '' 4'' (2011). It was released by
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
on June 1, 2011, as the second single from the album. The song was composed by Patrick "J. Que" Smith,
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds Kenneth Brian Edmonds (born April 10, 1959), better known by his stage name Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has written and produced 26 number-one R&B hits and won 13 Grammy Awards. He was ranked number 20 ...
,
Symbolyc One Larry Darnell Griffin Jr. (born August 3, 1976), known professionally as Symbolyc One (or S1), is an American record producer from Waco, Texas. He signed with Kanye West's GOOD Music as an in-house staffer on the label's Very GOOD Beats producti ...
, Caleb Sean McCampbell, Antonio Dixon, Beyoncé, and
Shea Taylor Robert "Shea" Taylor is an American songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist based in New York City. He established an early successful songwriting partnership with Def Jam's R&B singer-songwriter phenom Ne-Yo, and has also worked with Rihanna ...
. The song was originally not written as a
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...
, but was inspired by the drumming on Doug E. Fresh's 1985 single "
The Show Show or The Show may refer to: Competition, event, or artistic production * Agricultural show, associated with agriculture and animal husbandry * Animal show, a judged event in the hobby of animal fancy ** Cat show ** Dog show ** Horse show ** S ...
". Beyoncé said that both men and women should be able to relate to the song. A
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
and R&B ballad, the subjects of "Best Thing I Never Had" are
revenge Revenge is defined as committing a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. Vengeful forms of justice, such as primitive justice or retributive justice, are often differentiated from more fo ...
and
karma Karma (, from , ; ) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called ...
. Not wanting to feel broken-hearted, the female protagonist sings that she feels happy to have left her lover, who did not recognize the potential for a happy life with her. Some critics viewed it as a sequel to Beyoncé's 2006 single "
Irreplaceable "Irreplaceable" is a song by American singer Beyoncé for her second studio album, ''B'Day'' (2006). The song was written by Ne-Yo, Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Espionage (production team), Espen Lind, Amund Bjà ...
" as the two songs are thematically similar. However, some lyrics, including "showed your ass" and "sucks to be you right now", were criticized. The ballad was also likened to
Vanessa Carlton Vanessa Lee Carlton (born August 16, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her debut album, '' Be Not Nobody'' (2002), was released by A&M Records and peaked at number five on the ''Billboard'' 200. It spawned the hit song " A Tho ...
's single "
A Thousand Miles "A Thousand Miles" (originally titled "Interlude") is the debut single of American pop singer Vanessa Carlton. Written by Carlton and produced by Curtis Schweitzer and Ron Fair, the song was released as the lead single for Carlton's first al ...
" (2002). "Best Thing I Never Had" peaked at number 16 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and at number four on the US
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart. It rose to number three on the UK Singles Chart and number two on the
Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are ...
among others. The song reached number one in Croatia as well as the South Korea Gaon International Chart, the
UK R&B Chart Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart The UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart and the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart (also known as The Official UK Hip Hop and R&B Charts, and previously the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Singles and the Top 40 Hip Hop and ...
, and the US
Hot Dance Club Play The Dance Club Songs (also known as National Disco Action, Hot Dance/Disco Club Play, and Hot Dance Club Play) was a chart published weekly between 1976 and 2020 by ''Billboard'' magazine. It used club disc jockeys set lists to determine the mos ...
chart. It was certified quadruple platinum by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival Records (Australia), Festival, Sony Music ...
(ARIA) and triple platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). The accompanying
music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
for "Best Thing I Never Had" was directed by
Diane Martel Diane Martel (also known as Bucky Chrome and Diamond Martel) is an American music video director and choreographer. As a music video director, she has worked with Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Sting and Jennifer Lopez. One of her ...
. It shows Beyoncé getting ready for her wedding while she recalls her ex-lover, who never gave her the attention she deserved. "Best Thing I Never Had" was promoted with several live performances by Beyoncé, notably at the
2011 Glastonbury Festival The 2011 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts was held from 22 to 26 June 2011. Tickets for the festival went on sale from 9 am on Sunday 3 October 2010, over 37 weeks before the festival was set to begin, with a deposit of £50 ...
and on the televised
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show ''
The View ''The View'' is an American talk show created by broadcast journalist Barbara Walters. , in its 28th season, the show has aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC as part of the network's ABC Daytime, daytime programming block since August ...
''. The song was also included on the
set list A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance. A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...
for her concert '' 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé'' and other shows.


Writing and recording

Beyoncé and Patrick "J. Que" Smith wrote "Best Thing I Never Had" in collaboration with its producers
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds Kenneth Brian Edmonds (born April 10, 1959), better known by his stage name Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has written and produced 26 number-one R&B hits and won 13 Grammy Awards. He was ranked number 20 ...
,
Symbolyc One Larry Darnell Griffin Jr. (born August 3, 1976), known professionally as Symbolyc One (or S1), is an American record producer from Waco, Texas. He signed with Kanye West's GOOD Music as an in-house staffer on the label's Very GOOD Beats producti ...
, Antonio Dixon,
Shea Taylor Robert "Shea" Taylor is an American songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist based in New York City. He established an early successful songwriting partnership with Def Jam's R&B singer-songwriter phenom Ne-Yo, and has also worked with Rihanna ...
, and
Caleb Sean Caleb Sean McCampbell (born July 3, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and record producer from Dallas, Texas. Early life Born into a family of musicians, McCampbell began to sing and play the piano at the age of three. By ...
. According to Smith, "Best Thing I Never Had" is a
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...
but was not originally written so; early
demos Demos may refer to: Computing * DEMOS, a Soviet Unix-like operating system * DEMOS (ISP), the first internet service provider in the USSR * Demos Commander, an Orthodox File Manager for Unix-like systems * Plural for Demo (computer programming ...
sounded like late 1980s
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
material. The main inspiration for the song was the drumming of Doug E. Fresh's song "
The Show Show or The Show may refer to: Competition, event, or artistic production * Agricultural show, associated with agriculture and animal husbandry * Animal show, a judged event in the hobby of animal fancy ** Cat show ** Dog show ** Horse show ** S ...
" (1985). Smith told Gyant of
Black Entertainment Television Black Entertainment Television (BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting Black American audiences. It is the flagship channel of the BET Media Group, a subsidiary of Paramount Global's CBS Entertainment Group. Originally launched ...
(BET) that he was initially intimidated at the prospect of working with Beyoncé. He was in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
when Tony Dixon telephoned him to say he and Edmonds were going to write some songs with Beyoncé. Smith was asked to join them in the studio and the trio wrote part of "Best Thing I Never Had". After a few days, Dixon and Smith went to the studio again and completed the writing. The song was modified by Edmonds after hearing a demo; he tweaked the lyrics and added a few more melodies. Beyoncé's vocals were recorded at the KMA Studio in New York City. When the trio played Beyoncé the demo of "Best Thing I Never Had", she immediately approved it after making slight modifications. Smith says that Beyoncé was literally jumping up and down after hearing the demo. One hour later Beyoncé recorded "Best Thing I Never Had" and two other songs. Smith recalled that Beyoncé focused solely on the recording, ignoring hunger as she worked into the night. Beyoncé has stated that every man and woman can relate to the song's subject matter because at one point, almost everyone ends a relationship because of lack of commitment by his or her partner.


Artwork and release

A private listening party for Beyoncé's fourth studio album, ''4'', was held on May 12, 2011. Beyoncé offered a select group of fans a preview of five songs from ''4'', including "Best Thing I Never Had". On May 20, 2011, a song called " End of Time", featuring Beyoncé professing everlasting love, was leaked online, watermarked with the tag "internal use only". Several websites, including
MTV News MTV News was the news production division of MTV. The service was available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network and an online news team. In 2016, MTV refreshed the MTV News brand to compete with the likes of BuzzFeed and ...
reported that it might be released as the second single from ''4''. However, these speculations were soon overshadowed by the release of "
1+1 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
" on May 25, 2011, a
promotional single A promotional recording, promo, or plug copy is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as mu ...
in the United States exclusively. Nevertheless,
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
reported that "1+1" would not be released for
airplay Airplay is how frequently a song is being played through broadcasting on radio stations. A song which is being played several times every day (spins) would have a significant amount of airplay. Music which became very popular on jukeboxes, in n ...
and that "Best Thing I Never Had" was favored as the second single from ''4'', following "Run the World (Girls)". On May 27, 2011, Pittsburgh radio station 96.1 Kiss FM received an email from Beyoncé's management, informing them that "Best Thing I Never Had" would premiere on radio on June 1, 2011. The single debuted on US radio at 8 a.m. (EST) that day. Its
cover artwork Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of c ...
was also unveiled on June 1, 2011, on Beyoncé's official website. It was photographed by
Ellen von Unwerth Ellen von Unwerth (born 1954) is a German photographer. She began her career as a fashion model, before becoming a fashion, editorial, and advertising photographer. Early life and education Unwerth was born in Frankfurt, West Germany. As an or ...
and shows Beyoncé posing in a bathroom in front of a mirror while wearing a tight-fitting dress designed by Lleah Rae. She holds a tube of red lipstick, which has been used to write "King B" on the mirror. The song was digitally released in the United States on June 1, and in Europe on June 9. "Best Thing I Never Had" was released as a digital download in the UK on July 3, 2011, and as a
CD single A CD single is a single (music), music single in the form of a compact disc (CD). Originally the ''CD single'' standard (as defined in the Rainbow Books, Red Book) was an 8 cm (3-inch) "mini CD" (''CD3''); later on the term referred to any si ...
in Germany on July 29. A digital EP containing four remixes of the song was released in Australia and the United Kingdom on September 2.


Composition and lyrical interpretation

"Best Thing I Never Had" is a
midtempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given composition, and is often also an indication of the composition's character or atmos ...
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
and R&B power ballad, which incorporates elements of
gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music vary according to culture and social context. Gospel music is compo ...
. The song is set in
common time A time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, and measure signature) is an indication in music notation that specifies how many note values of a particular type fit into each measure ( bar). The time signature indicates the ...
with a moderate tempo of 100
beats per minute Beat, beats, or beating may refer to: Common uses * Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact * Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact * Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of in ...
, and is written in the key of
G major G major is a major scale based on G (musical note), G, with the pitches G, A (musical note), A, B (musical note), B, C (musical note), C, D (musical note), D, E (musical note), E, and F♯ (musical note), F. Its key signature has one sharp (music ...
. The
introduction Introduction, The Introduction, Intro, or The Intro may refer to: General use * Introduction (music), an opening section of a piece of music * Introduction (writing), a beginning section to a book, article or essay which states its purpose and g ...
follows the
chord progression In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural, or simply changes) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from ...
of G–C–Em–D, while the verses follow Gsus4–G–Em–D6–Gsus4–G. Beyoncé's voice spans from the low note of E♭3 to the high note of G♭5. Layered female vocals provide a backing to Beyoncé's occasionally aggressive vocals. The
instrumentation Instrumentation is a collective term for measuring instruments, used for indicating, measuring, and recording physical quantities. It is also a field of study about the art and science about making measurement instruments, involving the related ...
includes a
piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
, stadium-sized
bass drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter usually greater than its depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. The head ...
s, and
strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
. "Best Thing I Never Had" is thematically a kiss-off song; it is in this respect similar to Beyoncé's own songs "
Irreplaceable "Irreplaceable" is a song by American singer Beyoncé for her second studio album, ''B'Day'' (2006). The song was written by Ne-Yo, Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Espionage (production team), Espen Lind, Amund Bjà ...
" (2006) and " If I Were a Boy" (2008). Kyle Anderson of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' wrote that elements of the ballad have emanated from
Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion (born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Power Ballads", Dion's powerful, technically skilled vocals and commercially successful works have had ...
's " That’s The Way It Is" (1999), and
Bruce Hornsby Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass music, bluegrass, folk music, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock music, rock, heartland r ...
's " The Way It Is" (1986). Caryn Ganz of
Yahoo! Music Yahoo Music was a brand under which Yahoo provided music services including Internet radio, a digital music store, music streaming service, media player software, and original programming. Yahoo Music was sold to Rhapsody in early 2008. Pro ...
wrote that "Best Thing I Never Had" resembles
Vanessa Carlton Vanessa Lee Carlton (born August 16, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her debut album, '' Be Not Nobody'' (2002), was released by A&M Records and peaked at number five on the ''Billboard'' 200. It spawned the hit song " A Tho ...
's 2002 song "
A Thousand Miles "A Thousand Miles" (originally titled "Interlude") is the debut single of American pop singer Vanessa Carlton. Written by Carlton and produced by Curtis Schweitzer and Ron Fair, the song was released as the lead single for Carlton's first al ...
" paired with
Ryan Tedder Ryan Benjamin Tedder (born June 26, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder, frontman, and lead vocalist for the pop rock band OneRepublic, while also serving as a prolific cont ...
's thumping
beat Beat, beats, or beating may refer to: Common uses * Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact * Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact * Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of inte ...
. Ryan Dombal of
Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music magazine founded in 1996 by Ryan Schreiber in Minneapolis. It originally covered Alternative rock, alternative and independent music, and expanded to cover genres includin ...
also noted that the song wouldn't sound "out-of-place" on a Vanessa Carlton album. Priya Elan of ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
'' noted that the ballad is reminiscent of Beyoncé's own 2008 songs "
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" and "Scared Of Lonely", owing to its cascading piano work and drum beat. James Dinh of MTV News wrote that "Best Thing I Never Had" sounds like a song from a
Broadway musical Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), many of the extant or closed Broadway venues use or used the spelling ''Theatr ...
; he attributed the comparison to Beyoncé's collaboration with the band from ''
Fela! ''Fela!'' is a jukebox musical with a book by Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis, based on music and lyrics by the late Nigerian singer Fela Kuti, with additional music by Aaron Johnson and Jordan McLean and additional lyrics by Jim Lewis. It is based ...
'' to gain inspiration from the play's subject, Nigerian musician and composer
Fela Kuti Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997) was a Nigerians, Nigerian musician and political activist. He is regarded as the principal innovator of Afrobeat, a Nigerian music genre t ...
. The song's lyrics are about the breakdown of a relationship between Beyoncé and her lover, a situation that suits both of them. They also touch on revenge and
karma Karma (, from , ; ) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called ...
, particularly the opening line, "What goes around comes back around", the lines "Best thing I never had", "Best thing you never had", and the closing line, "Sucks to be you right now". Happy to have avoided heartbreak, Beyoncé continues to sing about her ex-lover, who did not recognize the possibility of a happy relationship with Beyoncé until the relationship broke down. Beyoncé no longer desires her lover after discovering his deceit; as shown in the pre-chorus and
chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in whic ...
lines, "When I think of the time that I almost loved you / You showed your ass and I saw the real you / Thank God you blew it, I thank God I dodged a bullet / I’m so over you, so baby good looking out / I wanted you bad / I’m so through with that / Because honestly / You turned out to be the best thing I never had / And will always be the best thing you never had." In the second verse, Beyoncé continues to dismiss her former lover as she sings, "So sad, you're hurt / boo hoo ...", over a tinkling piano
riff A riff is a short, repeated motif or figure in the melody or accompaniment of a musical composition. Riffs are most often found in rock music, punk, heavy metal music, Latin, funk, and jazz, although classical music is also sometimes based ...
and bass drums. She then chants the ascendant chorus, which this time features soaring strings and an uplifting aggressive piano accompaniment. Nadine Cheung of
AOL Radio AOL Radio was an online radio streaming service available exclusively in the United States. Originally powered by XM Satellite Radio and later CBS Radio and Slacker, the platform offered users access to more than 200 free digital stations. H ...
noted that though Beyoncé rips through the verses, she sings the chorus and
bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...
with restraint; on the latter, she affirms that she has moved on in life. The song ends as Beyoncé repeatedly sings, "What goes around comes back around / I bet it sucks to be you right now".


Critical reception

"Best Thing I Never Had" received average to favorable reviews from music critics. Gerrick D. Kennedy of the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' noted similarities between "Best Thing I Never Had" and Beyoncé's previous singles including "Irreplaceable" and "If I Were a Boy", and concluded that Beyoncé "certainly knows how to dump a man in style". Matthew Perpetua of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' wrote that "Best Thing I Never Had" could be "Irreplaceable Part Two" and noted that Beyoncé's vocal performance brings depth to the song. Rich Juzwiak of ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
'' wrote that the song is not as iconic as its reference point "Irreplaceable", but "nor is it as shady". He commended the optimism in the song's lyrics. ''
Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. History ''Consequence of Sound'' was founded in Septem ...
'' writer Chris Coplan commented that the ballad is a powerful moment of self-realization, which is enhanced by Beyoncé's vocal performance "as wounded bird turned resilient lioness". Choosing "Best Thing I Never Had" as the highlight of ''4'', Andy Kellman of
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
described it as "a bombastic kiss-off saved by Beyoncé's ability to plow through it". Kyle Anderson of ''Entertainment Weekly'' noted the moderate chart performance of "Run the World (Girls)", and wrote:
"Best Thing I Never Had" finds Beyoncé mining the same kind of girl-power imagery as she did on 'Run the World (Girls)'. But there is something more direct and honest about the lyrics on the new single (perhaps it's the instant greatness of the line, 'When I think of the time I almost loved you / You showed your ass and I saw the real you'). 'Best Thing I Never Had' feels like the kind of crossover hit that will help ''4'' join the rest of Beyoncé's discography in multiplatinum land.
Jessica Sinclair of ''
Long Island Press The ''Long Island Press'' is a free monthly news and lifestyle magazine serving Long Island. It is owned by Schneps Media. History Its previous print incarnation was as a free, independent print and digital monthly news journal with extensive c ...
'' noted that "Best Thing I Never Had" is different from "Run the World (Girls)" and that it shows a side of Beyoncé that listeners rarely see. Similarly, Joanne Dorken of
MTV UK MTV is a British pay television channel focusing on reality TV and music programming operated by Paramount Networks UK & Australia. The channel launched as part of MTV Networks Europe localisation strategy in 1997. MTV UK (previously MTV UK & I ...
wrote that the song reveals "a more ferocious side to Beyoncé with its faster pace and aggressive piano backing". Robert Copsey of
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
commented that the " Best Thing I Never Had'is a classic Beyoncé track waiting to happen". Chad Grischow of
IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
wrote that "the lush backing music and hesoaring vocals" on the song sound suitable for an updated take on the ''
Waiting To Exhale ''Waiting to Exhale'' is a 1995 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Forest Whitaker (in his feature film directorial debut) and starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett. The film was adapted from the 1992 novel of the same nam ...
''
soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( ...
as Beyoncé is ecstatic that she ended a poor relationship before it was too late. Jon Caramainca of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' commented that the "Best Thing I Never Had" has "optimistic, coffee-commercial" pianos, which place Beyoncé directly in
Lilith Fair Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride (CEO), Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during ...
territory. James Montgomery of MTV News wrote that it is one of the best ballads on the album ''4''. James Dinh of the same publication added that the song has a radio-friendly appeal and a catchy chorus. Similarly, Adam Markovitz of ''Entertainment Weekly'' and Joey Guerra of the ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. ...
'' praised the song's radio nature, with the latter calling it "a return to form" with a "regal sound of a radio smash". Jim Farber of '' Daily News'' wrote that the melodies and the clever lyrics of "Best Thing I Never Had" are likely to inspire significant airplay. Ricky Schweitzer of
One Thirty BPM ''Beats Per Minute'' (formerly ''One Thirty BPM'') is a New York City– and Los Angeles–based online publication providing reviews, news, media, interviews and feature articles about the music world. ''Beats Per Minute'' covers a variety of ...
commented that even though the ballad sounds like a place-filler on ''4'', it remains largely superior "to the majority of the trash being churned out by Beyoncé’s peers". "Best Thing I Never Had" also received a few mixed and negative reviews. Amos Barshad of ''
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
'' magazine wrote that the ballad borrows more heavily from Beyoncé's own 2006 single "Irreplaceable", and that "
his His or HIS may refer to: Computing * Hightech Information System, a Hong Kong graphics card company * Honeywell Information Systems * Hybrid intelligent system * Microsoft Host Integration Server Education * Hangzhou International School, ...
can't be a bad thing". However, he noted that "this time in language ('Sucks to be you right now') agreeable to a nation of tweens and in a manner agreeable to anyone who likes yelping along in unison to ascendant pop choruses." David Amidon of
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...
wrote that lines like "showed your ass" and "it must suck to be you" exemplify lame lyrics. He concluded that, " istenersare wondering how such lame lyrics could be sung with such earnestness." Alexis Petridis of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' wrote that the most interesting thing about "Best Thing I Never Had" is the curious image evoked by the chorus' lyric, noting that everything seemed fine until "the protagonist's former amorata 'showed your ass'". ''
Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as ''Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music We ...
''s Ben Cardew commented that its 1980s sound is "not a highlight". A negative review came from Al Shipley of ''The Village Voice'' who wrote that "Best Thing I Never Had" and "
Party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a Hospitality, host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will oft ...
" were "among the album's worst and most unrepresentative songs".


Recognition

"Best Thing I Never Had" received a nomination for Record of the Year at the 2011
Soul Train Music Awards The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards ceremony which honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the production company of '' Soul Train'', the program from which it takes its name, and ...
. At the 43rd
NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...
presented on February 17, 2012, "Best Thing I Never Had" received a nomination in the category for Outstanding Song. At the 2012 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards, "Best Thing I Never Had" won in the category for Award-Winning R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. ''The Guardian''s critic Dan Hancox placed the song at number four on his list of the 10 best songs of 2011. On ''The Village Voice''s 2011 year-end
Pazz & Jop Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abse ...
singles list, "Best Thing I Never Had" was ranked at number 604.


Chart performance

For the chart issue dated June 18, 2011, "Best Thing I Never Had" debuted at number 84 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. The following week, the song climbed to number 75; the week her album ''4'' was released, it further moved from number 58 to number 29 on the Hot 100 chart dated July 16, 2011. Four weeks later, the ballad entered the top 20, moving from number 25 to number 19 on the Hot 100 chart. For the week ending August 13, 2011, "Best Thing I Never Had" peaked at number 16 on the Hot 100 chart. It was last seen on the chart issue dated October 29, 2011, at number 67, having spent 19 consecutive weeks on it. "Best Thing I Never Had" debuted at number 53 on the US
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart issue dated June 18, 2011, where it was the highest debut that week. For the week ending September 24, 2011, the song reached number one on the
Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems Broadcast Data Systems (also known as Nielsen BDS, BDS or Luminate BDS) was a service that tracks radio, television and internet airplay of songs. The service, which is a unit of MRC Data, is a contributing factor to North American charts publishe ...
(BDS) urban airplay chart with 3765 spins, which were heard by 22.033 million listeners. It stayed at number one for one additional week. "Best Thing I Never Had" eventually peaked at number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song reached number one on the US
Hot Dance Club Songs The Dance Club Songs (also known as National Disco Action, Hot Dance/Disco Club Play, and Hot Dance Club Play) was a chart published weekly between 1976 and 2020 by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. It used club disc jockeys set list ...
chart, on the issue dated September 10, 2011. As of October 2012, it has sold over 1 million paid digital downloads in the US. For the week ending June 18, 2011, "Best Thing I Never Had" debuted at number one on the South Korea Gaon International Chart with digital sales of 85,742 copies. The following week, it remained at number one and sold twice as many copies, amassing 174,773 digital sales. As of October 2012, the single has sold over 1.1 million copies in South Korea. On June 13, 2011, the ballad debuted at number 29 on the
Australian ARIA Singles Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
. "Best Thing I Never Had" kept fluctuating on the chart for the next five weeks until it entered the top 20 on July 25, 2011, at number 18. On August 1, 2011, the song peaked at number 17 on the singles chart and at number six on ARIA's urban singles chart. It was certified platinum by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival Records (Australia), Festival, Sony Music ...
(ARIA), denoting shipment 70,000 copies. "Best Thing I Never Had" debuted on the
New Zealand Singles Chart The Official Aotearoa Music Charts, formerly the Official New Zealand Music Chart (), is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The M ...
on June 26, 2011. On its fifth week on the chart, it peaked at number five. On August 14, 2011, the song was certified gold by the
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand Recorded Music NZ (formerly the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ)) is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell recorded music in New Zealand. Membership of Recorded ...
(RIANZ), denoting shipment 7,500 copies. Before the song's official release in the United Kingdom, "Best Thing I Never Had" debuted at number three on the UK Singles Chart and number two on the
UK R&B Chart Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart The UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart and the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart (also known as The Official UK Hip Hop and R&B Charts, and previously the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Singles and the Top 40 Hip Hop and ...
on July 4, 2011, selling 51,365 copies that week. ''Music Week'' Alan Jones attributed the high sales to Beyoncé's performance at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival. It became Beyoncé's sixteenth top 10 UK single as a solo artist, and her highest charting UK single since "If I Were a Boy" peaked at number one in November 2008. On July 17, 2011, "Best Thing I Never Had" reached number one on the UK R&B Chart, and the UK Airplay Chart the following week, amassing 71.58 million listener impressions. It became Beyoncé's fourth single as a solo artist, and seventh, including her singles with
Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final lineup comprised Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Hou ...
, to reach number one on that chart The song was last seen in the top 100 of the UK Singles Chart on January 8, 2012, having spent 28 weeks on the chart. "Best Thing I Never Had" debuted at number 35 in the
Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are ...
on June 16, 2011. Although the song fell to number 42 the following week, it began to continually climb the chart as from June 30, 2011, and entered the top 20 four weeks later. On July 14, 2011, "Best Thing I Never Had" entered the top 10 at number six, and peaked at number two the following week, becoming Beyoncé's fourteenth single as a solo artist to peak inside the top 10 on the Irish Singles Chart.


Music video


Background and concept

The music video for "Best Thing I Never Had" was directed by
Diane Martel Diane Martel (also known as Bucky Chrome and Diamond Martel) is an American music video director and choreographer. As a music video director, she has worked with Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Sting and Jennifer Lopez. One of her ...
, and filmed in
Westchester County Westchester County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The county is the seventh most populous cou ...
on June 15, 2011, and in
Fort Greene Fort Greene is a neighborhood in the northwestern part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Flushing Avenue and the Brooklyn Navy Yard to the north, Flatbush Avenue Extension and Downtown Brooklyn to the w ...
, Brooklyn, on June 16, 2011. On June 20, 2011, it was reported that Beyoncé would not play the prom queen in the video. Beyoncé said that not being prom queen in the video reminded her of how she never wore the coveted tiara at her own high school dance. She added that she felt strange because her father,
Mathew Knowles Mathew Knowles (born January 9, 1952)Knowles in is an American record executive, businessman and university lecturer. He is best known for being the manager of Destiny's Child. He also once managed the solo careers of his daughters Beyoncé a ...
, did not escort her down the aisle in the wedding scene, as he had when she married
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
in April 2008. The wedding scene was filmed at
Sleepy Hollow Country Club Sleepy Hollow Country Club is a historic country club in Scarborough-on-Hudson in Briarcliff Manor, New York. The club was founded in 1911, and its clubhouse was known as Woodlea, a 140-room Vanderbilt mansion owned by Colonel Elliott Fitch She ...
on June 15, 2011. In July 2011, Beyoncé was interviewed by ''
Access Hollywood ''Access Hollywood'', briefly known as ''Access'' from 2017 to 2019, is an American weekday television entertainment news program that premiered on September 9, 1996. It covers events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was create ...
'', where she said of the video's set:
It was a little strange. And definitely when I walked down the aisle I was like, 'This is kind of creepy — there’s some other man standing there!' It was really beautiful. People were all really excited like it was really my wedding. My mother was even like, 'Aww', and I was like, 'Mom, it's a video. This is not my dress. This is not the real wedding.' But I think it’s just one of those moments that every woman kind of fantasizes and relives.
Beyoncé said that the wedding dress she wears in the video was a Baracci one, which she saw in a shop window a year ago when she was at the
52nd Grammy Awards The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares P ...
. She added that the dress was "just like a beautiful fantasy, so we called and they still had the dress". Beyoncé also wears a tiara designed by Lorraine Schwartz, who converted it from a necklace. Beyoncé said that the wedding outfit made her feel "like royalty ...  like a queen". She added that the music video wedding was more chaotic than her real wedding in 2008, "This may have been a little more crazy, actually. I had to sing at the same time!" The ivory draped V-neck gown which Beyoncé wears in the video was designed by the Chinese-American fashion designer
Vera Wang Vera Ellen Wang (; born June 27, 1949) is an American fashion designer. Wang initially pursued a career in figure skating before transitioning to fashion. She worked for ''Vogue'' and Ralph Lauren before launching her own bridal gown boutique i ...
. The video premiered online at 8 pm ( EST) on July 7, 2011. It was available for digital download on July 9, 2011.


Synopsis

The music video begins with Beyoncé preparing herself for her wedding ceremony. She is in her boudoir wearing a lacy corset and a lingerie combo with garters. As the song begins, Beyoncé looks towards the camera, addressing the viewer while affirming the subject of the song that she was the best he ever had. The video moves from Beyoncé playing with a tiara, a veil and tulle netting on a bed, to various stages of getting dressed. Between scenes, flash back scenes of Beyoncé in high school are shown. Beyoncé is seen with a high school boyfriend at their senior-prom night on May 16, 1998. As Beyoncé and her boyfriend dance, he becomes interested in another girl, leaving Beyoncé alone on the dance floor. The video then returns to the present, with Beyoncé in her final preparations before her marriage. She is shown wearing a white gown and singing at sunset atop a grassy hill, followed by a scene of her walking down the aisle and exchanging vows. Her former lover is shown at the prom, deep in thought, with his prom king crown askew on his head. Beyoncé and her new husband are seen celebrating at a happy and well-attended reception. The groom removes the bride's garter with his teeth and they start dancing with their younger family members. The final scene features Beyoncé looking into the camera looking happy and satisfied. She walks off confidently to rejoin her wedding party and new husband, and then the screen fades to black.


Reception

''Entertainment Weekly''s Adam B. Vary wrote that Beyoncé was "at her peak — in voice, in looks, in taste in opulent wedding gowns". A ''Rolling Stone''s critic commented Beyoncé was looking stunning in a bridal suite, adding that the most disarming thing about the clip is that she sings directly to the camera. The review concludes that, "the video hits all of its marks perfectly, conveying all of the nuances in the lyrics while providing a lovely, memorable visual." ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
''s Sarah Anne Hughes wrote Beyoncé is "extravagantly dressed" in the video adding that the only downside is that there is no dance in the tradition of "
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is a song by American singer Beyoncé from her third studio album, '' I Am... Sasha Fierce'' (2008). Columbia Records released "Single Ladies" as a single on October 8, 2008, as a double A-side alongside " If I ...
" (2008). Kara Warner of MTV News called "Run the World (Girls)" and "Best Thing I Never Had", "as different as night and day" adding that the same thing happened with their music videos. Werner further praised Beyoncé "gorgeous" dress and added that it "will likely land on a few style blogs soon, given its embroidered and jeweled details, not to mention the silk bows and ruching on the sides". A writer of ''
The Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...
'' described the video as a transition to the one for "Run the World". Cristina Everett of ''Daily News'' noted that the look of satisfaction and hapinness on her face make the video the best revenge for her ex-lover. Pitchfork Media's Tom Breihan noted that Beyoncé was looking "makeup-commercial-flawless". He also wrote that if
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
singer
Kellie Pickler Kellie Dawn Pickler (born June 28, 1986) is an American country music singer, actress and television personality. Pickler gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of ''American Idol'' and finished in sixth place. In 2006, she signed to ...
remade the video shot-for-shot, it would never leave CMT rotation for it is "a perfect CMT video". Erika Ramirez of ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' magazine praised the video, "What better way to show your ex they're the best thing you never had than with saying 'I Do' to someone bigger and better in a Baracci Beverly Hills wedding gown." Jason Lipshutz of the same publication described it as a "smile-inducing clip with a dream wedding". A writer of ''Rap-Up'' praised the video's "fairytale" ending. Gordon Smart of Ashleigh Rainbird of the ''
Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily Tabloid journalism, tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is part of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the tit ...
'' found Beyoncé, "looking sexy in white lacy undies and garter – and later in a Big Fat Gypsy Wedding-style frock". Amos Barshad of ''New York'' magazine commented, "To just full-on hammer down the whole 'mature and settled down and happy' thing, Mrs. Hova saunters around with the most irrepressible smile you've ever seen, shimmying amazingly (note the moves at 3:30) as home footage of that jerk she threw away like a parking ticket cuts in and out." The music video peaked at number one on the UK TV Airplay Chart, logging 634 plays on July 24, 2011.


Alternate video

On July 26, 2011, Beyoncé announced plans to make an alternative music video for "Best Thing I Never Had ". She asked her fans to send pictures from their weddings or prom day experiences, which would be included in a re-edited version of the video. This alternate video was scheduled for release in September 2011. However, it premiered on October 11, 2011, on
Celebuzz Celebuzz is an entertainment website launched in June 2008 that features breaking TV, movie, and entertainment news. Headquartered in Hollywood, CA, Celebuzz is known for featuring exclusive blogs written by A-list celebrities, particularly members ...
. Charli Penn of ''
Essence Essence () has various meanings and uses for different thinkers and in different contexts. It is used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property (philosophy), property or set of properties or attributes that make an entity the ...
'' magazine praised the alternate video for "Best Thing I Never Had" calling it a "must-see" video and adding that "it has already become a huge hit with fans".


Live performances

Wearing a pink fringe dress, Beyoncé performed "Best Thing I Never Had" live for the first time during her concert at
Palais Nikaïa Palais Nikaïa () is an indoor concert hall and multi-purpose facility located in Nice, France. It opened on 4 April 2001, and is located at a five-minute drive from Côte d'Azur International Airport. The name Nikaïa derives from the ancient ...
in
Nice Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one millionGlastonbury Festival Performance, where she was the first major solo female headliner to appear on the Pyramid stage in over twenty years. She was wearing a low-cut and sequined gold jacket while performing. Beyoncé's performance of "Best Thing I Never Had" at the Glastonbury Festival was broadcast in the US during the
2011 BET Awards The 11th BET Awards took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on June 26, 2011. The awards recognized Americans in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. Comedian and actor Kevin Hart host ...
later the same day. On June 28, 2011, she performed the song during the finale of '' X Factor France'', dressed in a
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
-style dress. On July 1, 2011, Beyoncé gave a free concert, including on ''
Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'', often abbreviated as ''GMA'', is an American breakfast television, morning television program that is broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends wit ...
'' as part of its ''Summer Concert Series''. Wearing a yellow fringe dress and gold stilettos, she sang "Best Thing I Never Had". Dressed in a black gown, Beyoncé sang the ballad at the 35th Annual Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular to an audience, which included serving members of the armed forces. Beyoncé performed "Best Thing I Never Had" on ''
The View ''The View'' is an American talk show created by broadcast journalist Barbara Walters. , in its 28th season, the show has aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC as part of the network's ABC Daytime, daytime programming block since August ...
'' and on ''
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of the '' Late Night'' franchise. Hosted by Jimmy Fallon,
''. During the performance on ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'', she was dressed in white dress and backed by house band
The Roots The Roots are an American Hip-hop, hip hop band formed in 1987 by singer Black Thought, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and drummer Questlove, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's ''T ...
. Brad Wete of ''Entertainment Weekly'' wrote that Beyoncé "flipped the track three ways—first" as she performed it in its piano-driven as heard on the album, then adopted a
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
y style to chant the second verse, before ending in
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
y fashion on the bridge. Caroline Shin of ''New York'' magazine described Beyoncé's performance as powerful. She performed "Best Thing I Never Had" on August 14, 2011, during the '' 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé'' revue, held at the
Roseland Ballroom The Roseland Ballroom was a multipurpose hall, in a converted ice skating rink, with a colorful ballroom dancing pedigree, in New York City's Theater District, New York, theater district, on 52nd Street (Manhattan), West 52nd Street in Manhattan ...
, in New York City. Wearing a gold dress, Beyoncé sang it to an audience of 3,500, and was backed by her all-female band as well as her backing singers, called the Mamas.
Maura Johnston Maura K. Johnston (born May 28, 1975) is a writer, editor and music critic. A member of Boston College's journalism faculty, she has written for ''Rolling Stone'', ''The Boston Globe'', ''Pitchfork'', ''The Awl'', ''The New York Times'', ''Spin' ...
of ''The Village Voice'' wrote that the fans who attended the show, "were able to watch her bask in their singing the supremely confident 'Irreplaceable' and 'Best Thing I Never Had' as fearlessly as they might at home." Jon Caramanica of ''The New York Times'' wrote that the performance "hums beautifully but not powerfully", and added that Beyoncé was "practically in earth mother mode, a healer curing her minions". During the
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: Television TV stations/networks/channels ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network and company, including: **ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network in the United Kingd ...
special ''A Night With Beyoncé'' which aired on December 4 in the United Kingdom, Beyoncé performed the ballad to a selected crowd of fans.


Other versions and cover versions

Smith posted the original version of the song on his website, The Super Random, on July 28, 2011. On August 18, 2011, rappers and producers
Lil Jon Jonathan H. Smith (born January 17, 1971), better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, DJ, and record producer. Regarded as a progenitor of the club-oriented hip-hop subgenre crunk, his production and voice presence were inst ...
and Shawty Putt revealed their ''DJ Kontrol Remix'' of "Best Thing I Never Had". The song was remixed to incorporate elements of funk and
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
genres, according to ''
Rap-Up ''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...
''. Lil Jon mixed Beyoncé's vocals over a
sample Sample or samples may refer to: * Sample (graphics), an intersection of a color channel and a pixel * Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of something * Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal * Sample ...
of
The Gap Band The Gap Band was an American Contemporary R&B, R&B and funk band that rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band consisted of three brothers: Charlie Wilson (musician), Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson, along with other members; it wa ...
’s 1982 single, "
Outstanding "Outstanding" is a song originally performed by the Gap Band and written by member Raymond Calhoun. The song originally appeared on the group's platinum-selling 1982 album ''Gap Band IV''. It is one of their signature songs and biggest hits, rea ...
". This remix features percussive beats and a rap verse by Putt.
The Horrors The Horrors are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Southend-on-Sea in 2005 by lead vocalist Faris Badwan, guitarist Joshua Hayward, keyboardist and synthesizer player Tom Furse, bassist Rhys Webb, and drummer and percussionist Joe Spurg ...
, an English new wave band, performed a cover version of "Best Thing I Never Had" during an edition of the
Live Lounge The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio stations BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo, and later by Jo Whiley on her weekday mid-morning, and later weekend lunchtime radio shows, then by Fearne Cott ...
on
BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including ...
. Chris Coplan of Consequence of Sound wrote, " ..reworking the song from fierce anthem to a decidedly Smiths-ian weep-fest, the lads struck the perfect balance between the sass of the original and their own depressing sound." Krissi Murison of ''NME'' commented that their cover was "undoubtedly the greatest song psychedelic shoegaze never had". "Best Thing I Never Had" was also covered by ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...
'' contestant, Craig Colton, during the second week of the competition, in accordance with the theme 'Love and Heartbreak'.


Formats and track listings

*;Digital download #"Best Thing I Never Had" – 4:12 *;German CD single #"Best Thing I Never Had" – 4:13 #"
Run the World (Girls) "Run the World (Girls)" is a song by American singer Beyoncé from her fourth studio album ''4 (Beyoncé album), 4'' (2011), released as the lead single from the album on April 21, 2011. It was written and produced by Beyoncé, The-Dream and Swit ...
" (
Kaskade Ryan Gary Raddon (born February 25, 1971), better known by his stage name Kaskade, is an American DJ, music producer and remixer. ''DJ Times'' voted Kaskade as "America's Best DJ" in 2011 and 2013. ''DJ Magazine, DJ Mag'' named Kaskade fifty-fi ...
Club Remix) – 5:03 *;Digital Remixes EP #"Best Thing I Never Had" (Gareth Wyn Remix) – 6:33 #"Best Thing I Never Had" (Olli Collins & Fred Portelli Remix) – 6:23 #"Best Thing I Never Had" (Billionaire Remix) – 4:40 #"Best Thing I Never Had" (Moguai Remix) – 6:17


Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from ''4'' liner notes. *Val Brathwaite – mixer assistant *Antonio Dixon – producer, songwriter *
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds Kenneth Brian Edmonds (born April 10, 1959), better known by his stage name Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has written and produced 26 number-one R&B hits and won 13 Grammy Awards. He was ranked number 20 ...
– producer, songwriter *Gloria Kaba –
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...
assistant *
Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most culturally significant figu ...
–
vocals Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define sing ...
, producer,
songwriter A songwriter is a person who creates musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music genre and film scoring. ...
*Caleb Sean McCampbell – producer, songwriter *
Tony Maserati Tony Maserati is an American record producer and audio engineer specializing in mixing. He was involved in the development of the New York R&B and hip-hop scene in the 1990s, working with Mary J. Blige, Notorious B.I.G., Puff Daddy, and Queen ...
– mixer *Serge Nudel – engineer assistant *
Symbolyc One Larry Darnell Griffin Jr. (born August 3, 1976), known professionally as Symbolyc One (or S1), is an American record producer from Waco, Texas. He signed with Kanye West's GOOD Music as an in-house staffer on the label's Very GOOD Beats producti ...
– producer, songwriter *Rob Suchecki –
guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...
* Patrick "J. Que" Smith – songwriter *
Shea Taylor Robert "Shea" Taylor is an American songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist based in New York City. He established an early successful songwriting partnership with Def Jam's R&B singer-songwriter phenom Ne-Yo, and has also worked with Rihanna ...
– producer, songwriter *Pete Wolford – engineer assistant * Jordan "DJ Swivel" Young – recorder


Charts


Weekly charts


Monthly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Release history


See also

*
List of number-one dance singles of 2011 (U.S.) These are the ''Billboard'' magazine's number-one dance songs of 2011 on the Dance Club Songs, the Dance Singles Sales, and the Dance/Mix Show Airplay. The Hot Dance Club Songs was first published in 1976, ranking the most popular songs on dance ...
* List of UK R&B Chart number-one singles of 2011 *
List of number-one international songs of 2011 (South Korea) The Gaon Digital Chart is a chart that ranks the best-performing international songs in South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Penins ...
* List of UK top 10 singles in 2011


Notes


References


External links


Beyoncé's official website
{{authority control 2010s ballads 2011 singles 2011 songs Beyoncé songs Columbia Records singles Music videos directed by Diane Martel Pop ballads Contemporary R&B ballads Song recordings produced by Babyface (musician) Song recordings produced by Beyoncé Songs written by Babyface (musician) Songs written by Beyoncé Songs written by Antonio Dixon (songwriter) Songs written by Patrick "J. Que" Smith Songs written by Shea Taylor Songs written by Symbolyc One Song recordings produced by Shea Taylor Songs about revenge Breakup songs